Favorite appetizers?

[cmo]

We have a party coming up next month, so I'm on the hunt for some new appetizer options. If you have a favorite that you'd like to share, it would be much appreciated! It can be a recipe, or a something from a grocery or specialty store (like the spanakopitas I saw in the frozen foods section yesterday).

Cheese dip? Puff pastry? Veggies or fruit? Anything goes!

Thanks a bunch!

-Chris

[kijip]

Stuffed mushrooms.

I make the filling out of:

Ground Italian Sausage (cook before making the filling)
finely diced tomatoes or just tomato paste
minced garlic

mix all together and fill into upturned mushroom caps (snap off the stems) that have been lightly brushed with olive oil. Sprinkle shredded parmesan all over the tops and bake at 375 until cheese in melted/golden and mushroom look done. I select large white or cremini mushrooms for best results. Can be served hot or chilled in the fridge and served cold.

You can vary the filling a lot. Sometimes I do tomatoes, onions, basil pesto with no meat.

[MMMommy]

I think this is more of a side dish, but it's always a hit with my family and friends. If you cut the finished dish into little appetizer squares, it could pass as a yummy appetizer!

Yummy Potatoes

Ingredients:
Butter (salted or unsalted) for greasing baking dish
6 (or more if you like) garlic cloves, minced
3-4 lbs. of russet potatoes, peeled (give or take more or less potatoes)
salt
black pepper
1 pint heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Liberally butter a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish. Scatter minced garlic in bottom of baking dish. Cut the peeled russet potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices. Layer potatoes in dish, sprinkling each layer with salt and pepper. After layering is complete, pour heavy cream over potatoes. Bake. Once or twice press down on the potatoes with a spatula (flatten or tamp down the potatoes a bit). Bake until golden on top. Cream will be slightly thickened. Bake approximately 1 hr. 15 min.

[misshollygolightly]

Sausage Cheese Balls are easy and yummy (not terribly classy, I suppose!)

1 c grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 lb hot to medium sausage
2 c Bisquick
1-2 T of milk or water (as needed, to make help ingredients stick together)
Dash of cayenne or chili pepper, if desired (or use Tobasco)

Ingredients should be at room temperature. Combine all ingredients and shape into 1 inch balls. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, or until done. Remove from cookie sheet using a spatula. May be served warm or at room temp.

[irie i]

I'm easy...pico de gallo (salsa) and chips! Easy, yummy, and NO MEAT!

[cono0507]

I brought this to two holiday parties last year and it was a hit:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hot-Art...II/Detail.aspx
Once I served it with mini baguette slices and once with tortilla chips. Yum!

[belovedgandp]

Two of my favorite and EASY appetizers:

Only 5 Dip

8 oz. cream cheese
16 oz. sour cream
1 pkg. pepperoni chopped
1 sm. Can diced green chilies
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Combine first 4 ingredients and half of cheddar cheese. Put in corning/glass baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheddar on top.
Bake at 350' until bubbly (about 30 minutes)
Serve with Ritz crackers or wheat thins.


BBQ Pineapple Meatballs
frozen meatballs
BBQ sauce
canned chunk pineapple (with juice)

Combine to your desired ratio in crockpot for about 6 hours before the party.

[amldaley]

In order of ease of making:

Spinach Balls (made with Pepperidge Farm stuffing...people swear there's meat in them!) Would a good one to make with kids, they can form the mixture in to balls. Many recipes out there, I select a few and compare. I also cut back on wet ingredients and always add more cheese.)

Spinach Dip (Knorr Vegetable Soup box)

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes: stuffed with a mayo & bacon mixture

Deviled Eggs with horseradish

[mamaoftwins]

We just had a whole bunch of apps for the boys bday party ... some of the favs:

Cranberry meatballs (looks like the same as pp's BBQ Pineapple meatballs, but with subs) - wow, easy, and SO good (and I had my doubts going in) - buy meatballs frozen from Sam's or Costco - add 2 cans of plain tomato sauce and 2 cans of whole cranberry sauce, use your slow cooker and start them the night before. Stir occasionally.

Frozen spanikopita - also from Sam's.

Pigs in a blanket - cut up hotdogs wrapped in crescent rolls, with ketchup, dijon, and honey mustard for dipping.

Warm artichoke dip with pita chips.

ETA: we always have a veggie and fruit tray with dips, too!

[clc053103]

Athenos phyllo cups can be filled with virtually anything and look elegant. My current fave- goat cheese, pesto sauce and pine nuts.

artichoke dip:
1 can artichokes, drained and chopped
1 c mayo
1 c grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
-mix, put in pie pan and bake 20 min at 375 till brown and bubbly. serve with pita chips or crackers.

If you go on the food network site, there are two great barefoot contessa dip recipes as well- pan fried onion dip, and sun dried tomato dip.