I'm having a Christmas party on December 10th and I need fairly cheap and pretty easy appetizer recipes. It's on a Friday and I'm taking the day off work to prepare but I'm expecting about 30 people so I need a good amount of food... Grab the cookbooks, girls, and start throwing the recipes at me! :)

Thanks!

What exactly do you call appetizers ???

Phil

Hmmm... I'm already doing a spinach dip with pumpernickle bread...meatballs & sauce...an artichoke dip... You know, any kind of finger food for the most part.

ap·pe·tiz·er [ áppə tzər (http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/Pronounce.aspx?search=appetizer) ] (plural ap·pe·tiz·ers)

noun 1. food served before main course: a small dish of food served at the beginning of a meal to stimulate the appetite

2. stimulating sample: a sample of something that is meant to stimulate an interest

[Mid-19th century. Formed from earlier appetize “to give an appetite,” a back-formation from appetizing.]

Do you have tarama over there ??? You can toast some on mini-blinis. :) That's about all I can do. :D

My roomy makes some mini brochettes with tooth picks:

Mini tomatoes + mozarella + basil leaves

Fig + Italian smoked ham

Blue cheese (Roquefort) + Strawberries.

Etc...

Then he buys a cabbage and wrapped it up in this cooking silver metallic paper (you know what I mean ? ) and pins all his brochettes on it and the cabbage ends up looking like a colorful and tasty porcupine :)

Phil

Maxine's Hot Chili Dip

Throw all ingredients into a small crock pot:

1 can Ranch House Chicken Cilli (or your favorite canned chilli)
1 tub of small curd cottage cheese
1 small block of Velveeta cheese

Heat until warmed through, stirring once in awhile.
Serve with tortilla chips

coconut shrimp is good
sausage balls are easy to do

This is festive looking, easy to fix and sort of different:
Raspberry cheese spread:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves
assorted crackers (ritz is good)
......beat cream cheese and mayo until blended
......beat in cheeses and onions
......stir in pecans
......spread into a plastic wrap-lined 9 inch round dish
......refrigerate until set (at least 1 hour)
.Invert onto a serving plate, spread with preserves (i leave about 1/4 inch all the way around with no preserves for a festive look)
.Line your crackers all the way around your mold(if it's a big platter can have several rows of crackers around

Hot Crab Spread

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1/2 of an 8-ounce tub cream cheese with garden vegetables
1 6- to 6-1/2-ounce can crabmeat, drained, flaked, and cartilage removed
2 tablespoons sliced green onion
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
Several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
Assorted crackers

Directions
1. In a small saucepan heat cream cheese over medium-low heat until softened. Stir in crabmeat, green onion, lemon juice, dill, and hot pepper sauce.
2. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes more or until heated through. Serve warm with crackers.

Makes about 1 cup.

cooking silver metallic paper (you know what I mean ?

Phil...do you mean tin foil?

JJT...can we get a translation on "cooking silver metallic paper?"

Just kidding Phil...we all love you!

Something that you can make a ton of, for fairly cheap. I just call them firecrackers. Take a pack of cream cheese, finely chopped black olives, finely chopped jalapeno peppers, and taco bell brand taco seasoning (half a teaspoon roughly). Mix all that together thoroughly and spread on one side of soft flour tortillas. Make sure they are at room temperature, just so they are more flexible. Roll them up tightly and cut in slices or larger pieces. It is up to you. You can always add a bit of food coloring to the cream cheese to go with the theme of your party, if you want. You can add colorful toothpicks too, but they stick together on their own.

A cheeseball is always easy too. A pack of cream cheese, finely chopped lunch meat, like ham or turkey, a tablespoon of mayo, garlic powder, a skimpy teaspoon or so.. to your own tastes, finely chopped green onions/scallions, whatever you call them and mix and let sit for a bit so that the cheese takes in the flavors. Serve with crackers.

I love to play hostess, but rarely have much time. I have a few other easy ideas if you need them. :)
Have fun!

Jenn

Poor Phil!!! A non cook, trying to explain in a second language!!

He is better than I could ever attempt. I speak nothing of any second language!

I like to get some of those long thin ham slices for sandwhiches from the store. Place cream cheese inside them and roll them up, stab them with a toothpick and top the toothpick with an olive for garnish

Why does it seem that most things I'm making have to be stabbed with a toothpick? I'm going to end up buying dozens of boxes, I tell ya! :) (I wonder what Phil's description of a toothpick would be? Tiny thin wooden stick?)

Thanks for everyones yummy recipes so far!

What about a sandwhich tray. I love sandwhich trays. Tuna, ham and cheese, and deviled egg. It looks really neat if you mix up some wheat, white and sourdough breads, but all one kind of bread is okay.

For a little extra touch, add finely chopped celery to the tuna, and sweet pickles to the deviled egg.

And fruit. Don't forget the fruit!!

How about fresh vegetables(carrots,cucumbers,radishes,green onions,celery,green peppers,etc)cut in finger size tibbits......then for the dip.....ranch dressing packet mix with sour cream......Yummy

cooking silver metallic paper (you know what I mean ?

Phil...do you mean tin foil?

I think it's what I mean, I'm at work, I don't have my dictionary. In french it's called "papier d'aluminium" :p

Phil

yup yup, tin foil
now we know...it's called "papier d'aluminium" in french :)

You CAN teach an old dog new tricks...I just learned some french..thanks phil!

But can you SAY it, Pipkin???

One of my favorite dips is corn dip.

1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
2 cans mexicorn
4 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp vinegar
jalepeno peppers and green onions - to taste

Mix all together - better to let sit and chill for a couple hours
Serve with Fritos corn chips or tortilla chips

Fake (but delicious) Rumaki

1 lb bacon
2 cans water chestnuts
soy sauce
toothpicks (sorry buy more)

cut bacon slices into thirds, wrap around a water chestnut, secure with toothpick, dip in soy sauce and broil until bacon is sizzling. Serve warm.

Easy Cucumber/Radish Sandwiches

One loaf cocktail rye bread
One container of flavored cream cheese (pick your favorite they all work)
Cucumber and Radish slices
Dill (fresh or dry is fine)

These are open faced sandwiches. Just spread some cream cheese on a slice of bread and either top with cucumber or radishes and sprinkle of dill on top. The colors look festive spread out on a platter.