Party Recipes – Appetizers

Warm appetizers fill your space with delicious aromas and warm your party guest’s heart and soul.

Party Meatballs

A party-pleasing standard, easy to simplify

2 lbs              Ground Beef

1 Cup             Bread crumbs or Cracker Crumbs

1/2 Cup          Onions, finely chopped

2                   Eggs, lightly beaten

2 Tbsp           Fresh Parsley, chopped

1 1/2 tsp        Salt

1/4 tsp           Pepper

1 tsp              Worcestershire Sauce

12 oz bottle    Chili Sauce

10 oz jar         Grape Jelly

In a large bowl mix first eight ingredients together with a wooden spoon until well blended. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls. Spray a 10 or 12 –inch skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook, stirring frequently until they’re browned and cooked through. Drain off grease. In a medium bowl, stir together the chili sauce and jelly until well blended. Pour over meatballs and stir over medium heat until sauce is bubbly. Serve warm with toothpicks. To keep warm during the party, place meatballs in a crock pot on low. Makes about 36 meatballs. To streamline this appetizer, just thaw a bag of frozen meatballs (Simek’s are the best) and heat through in the sauce.

Petite Quiche

Light and delightful – a traditional favorite

Crust:

1/2 Cup         Butter, softened

1 pkg (3 oz)   Cream Cheese, softened

1 Cup            Flour

1/4 tsp          Salt

Filling:

1 Cup (4 oz)  Swiss Cheese, finely shredded

1 Tbsp          Flour

2                  Eggs

3/4 Cup        Half and half

1/4 tsp         Salt

1/8 tsp         Pepper

4 slices        Bacon, fried and crumbled or 1/4 Cup Ham

1 tsp            Paprika

In small bowl using mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese. Add flour and salt; blend until dough forms. Gather dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Divide dough into 24 balls and push into the bottom and sides of ungreased mini-muffin pans. In a small bowl using a whisk, blend the eggs, half and half, salt and pepper. In another small bowl toss the Swiss cheese with the flour. Evenly divide the cheese mixture into the 24 cups. Next distribute the bacon or ham evenly into the cups. Finally, pour the egg mixture evenly over the cups, but no more than three-fourths full. Sprinkle gently with Paprika. Place pans on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm. These can be made ahead of time and frozen: reheat in oven for 15 minutes. Makes 24 quiches. To simplify this recipe, buy pre-made rolled out pastry dough. Cut in 2” circles and push into place in cups.

Spinach Delights

Make these and your friends will demand you serve them at EVERY party – they’re THAT good!

2 (10 ½ oz) pkg         Spinach, chopped, frozen

1                                  Onion, softball size (equates to about 4 cups)

2 Cups                       Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing (crumb type)

6                                  Eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 Cup                      Butter, melted

1/2 Cup                      Parmesan Cheese, grated

1 Tbsp                        Garlic Salt

1 Tbsp                        Accent

1 Tbsp                        Black Pepper

1/2 tsp                        Thyme

Unwrap spinach and place on a plate. Cook each package of spinach in a microwave for 6 minutes on high. Drain in a colander, then take handfuls and squeeze out excess water. Flake with a fork into a large bowl. Finely chop onion and toss with spinach. Using a wooden spoon, stir in melted butter. Add cheese and spices. Stir in eggs. Add stuffing and stir until evenly mixed. Form mixture into walnut-size balls and place close together on a greased jelly roll pan or baking sheet with edges. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 60 balls.

Stuffed Dates

Simple and AWESOME

20                    Whole Blanched Almonds

20                    Whole Pitted Dates (Medjool variety works best)

7 strips           Bacon, regular sliced

Cut bacon strips into thirds. Press a whole almond into each date (or half date if they’re huge). Wrap a piece of bacon around each date and secure with a toothpick. Line a shallow pan with edges with aluminum foil. Place dates on foil and bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm. Makes 20.

Party Recipes: Cold Appetizers

Sometimes the simplest food gets the rave reviews. These are all awesome because they can be prepared in advance and served anytime, and they taste great too!

Party Roll-ups

Prepare the night before, and relax and enjoy the raves at the party. Here are two flavor options, try these or experiment with your own fillings.

Ham                                                                                       

1 pkg             Large Flour Tortillas (8 per pkg)

2 pkg (8 oz)   Cream Cheese, softened

1/3 Cup         Mayonnaise

2 Tbsp           Green Onion, chopped

1/4 Cup          Black Olives, Chopped

6 oz               Ham, thinly sliced (deli or packaged)

Crab

1 pkg              Large Flour Tortillas

2 pkgs (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened

1/3 Cup          Mayonnaise

2 Tbsp            Green Onion, chopped

1 Cup             Sharp Cheddar, finely shredded

1 can (5 oz)   Crab meat, drained & chopped

1/4 Cup          Red Pepper, chopped (optional)

Remove the tortillas from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. In a medium bowl, using a spatula, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, onions and olives. Spread evenly almost to edges on each of the tortillas. Distribute ham and lay it flat on top of spread. Starting at one edge, tightly roll up each tortilla. For crab roll-ups, omit black olives and ham, and add cheddar cheese and crab to the mixture and spread evenly. Wrap individual tortillas in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. To serve, cut into 3/4” slices. Makes about 64 slices.

Salmon Cheesecake

Serve this elegant appetizer when the occasion requires an impressive presentation

1/2 Cup          Pumpernickel Bread, crumbled

4 pkgs                        Cream Cheese (8 oz), softened

1/2 Cup          Heavy Whipping Cream

1/8 tsp            Pepper

4                      Eggs, lightly beaten

8 oz                 Smoked Salmon, chopped

1/3 Cup          Green Onions, chopped

2 boxes          Onion Crackers or mini-pumpernickel slices

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Sprinkle breadcrumbs into pan, coating bottom and sides; set aside. In a large mixing bowl with mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in the cream and pepper. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in salmon and onions. Wrap a double thickness of heavy-duty foil around bottom of prepared pan. Pour salmon mixture into pan. Place in a large baking pan. Fill larger pan with hot water to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 – 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour (cheesecake may crack while cooling). Refrigerate overnight. Remove foil and sides of pan. Serve cheesecake with crackers. Makes 16 servings.

Shrimp Mousse

Perfect for extra-special occasions – exquisitely delicious

1 can              Cream of Shrimp Soup (Campbell’s)

½ C                 Water

2 envelopes  Unflavored Gelatin

¼ tsp   White Pepper

1 Cup             Creamy Cottage Cheese (4%)

1 Cup             Mayonnaise (not diet, not Miracle Whip)

1//2 Cup         Plain Yogurt

1 Tbsp            Lemon Juice

6 oz                 Shrimp (small salad size)

4                      Eggs, hard-boiled

2 Tbsp            Green Onion, chopped

1 box              Keebler Onion Crackers

Thaw shrimp, chop finely, set aside. Boil eggs until hardboiled, let cool. Peel eggs, finely chop and set aside. Chop green onions and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine soup, cold water, gelatin and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes then stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved. In a large bowl using a mixer on low speed, combine cottage cheese, mayonnaise, yogurt and lemon juice. Add gelatin mixture. Using a spoon, fold in shrimp, eggs, and onion. Turn mixture into a 6-cup mold that has been lightly covered in cooking spray. Chill until firm – about 6 hours. Unmold by dipping in hot water for 10 seconds. Serve with onion crackers. Makes 6 cups.

Vegetable Pizza

Add some healthy vegetables to your party with this delectable treat

2 cans (8 oz) Crescent Rolls or Crescent Recipe Creations seamless dough sheets

2 pkg (8 oz)   Cream Cheese, softened

2/3 Cup          Mayonnaise

1 pkg (1 oz)   Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (the powder type)

1 Cup                         Broccoli, chopped

1 Cup             Tomatoes, chopped

1 Cup             Green bell pepper, chopped

1 Cup             Cauliflower, chopped

1 Cup             Carrots, shredded

1 Cup             Green Onion (tops only), chopped

1 Cup             Sharp Cheddar Cheese, finely shredded

To make the crust, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the crescent dough in a 9” x 13” pan, an 11” or 12” pizza pan, or a 15” x 10” pan (the size doesn’t matter). Seal perforations and pinch the edges to form the pizza crust. Bake for 11 – 13 minutes, until golden. Let it cool at least 15 minutes in pan before removing it to your serving tray. Cool completely. Next, in a small mixing bowl with a stiff spatula, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and dry ranch dressing. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange broccoli, green bell pepper, cauliflower and shredded carrots over the cream cheese layer. Chill for one hour. Just before serving sprinkle with tomatoes then cheddar cheese. Feel free to omit any vegetables you don’t like or add ones you do – mushrooms, zucchini, etc. – like any pizza, everyone has their own tastes. Slice in squares. Makes 24 servings.