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hi, my sister turns 50 in nov. And i wanna do a appitizer/snack party for her instead of just cake or a full dinner. i need ideas for anything i can do ahead/freeze cold hot easy/ or ok just not very hard. i plan a little each month so i'm not over whelmed in nov so i'm collecting ideas now.

How many are you inviting? Lots of appetizers are easy and I've several good recipes but I'm not much of a make ahead and freeze person so I can't help you there.

I did teach a class where we did six or eight appetizers (from start to finish) in an hour! I can pass those recipes to you if you want -- some were cold and others were hot but they all were good!

Martha

I've never done an appetizers-only dinner party, just cocktail parties for 30 or so people, and the most time it took to put together was a week.

But, I found this link. Hope it helps: http://www.bhg.com/recipes/par...ger-food-ideas-more/

I thought about the mini-meatballs. Did a quick search and found several sites.

Type in
freezable appetizers
and see what you get...

Then come back here and ask if anyone has ever frozen that particular appetizer.

http://familyfood.hiddenvalley...appetizers-1133.html

http://www.ehow.com/info_80430...ers-freeze-well.html
Foods to Avoid
Although most foods are safe to freeze, many foods lose their flavor or texture. Appetizers containing milk, hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, yogurt, cream cheese, cottage cheese or cream sauces aren't good candidates for freezing, as the foods will separate or become watery. Although long grain rice freezes well, instant rice becomes gummy. Don't freeze appetizers containing fried foods, which become soggy. Raw vegetables tend to become watery when frozen.

http://www.top-appetizer-recip...head-appetizers.html

http://www.cooks.com/rec/searc..._freeze_well,FF.html

(I'm getting hungry for crab cakes!)

Cheeseball, veggie platter, fruit kabobs, Caprese kabobs, Little Smokies in BBQ sauce in a small crock pot, wraps or dried beef & pickle roll ups.
I'm working on an elegant reception menu for this summer. How about shrimp cocktail, Craisin chicken salad in phyllo cups, ham balls in sticky sauce, open faced party rye with homemade cheese spread, small size eggs deviled, Gma's mini croissants, pineapple Danish, Caprese Kabobs, chocolate dipped strawberries, flower shaped petit fors, Russian Teacakes and my Great Gma's sugar cookies.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lurah,

The recent thread titled "Wraps/Pinwheels" - http://boards.hgtv.com/eve/for...4011632/m/4393958567 - contains mountainbeach's recipe for spinach wheels that's really good. (Cook finely cut fresh bacon instead of jarred bacon bits for optimal flavor.)

I made this a couple of times, served it with toasted baguette slices. If you have any left over, it makes terrific pizza or pasta topping.

Salsa di Parmigiano

from Michael Chiarello, NapaStyle.com
Yield: 2+ Cups (closer to 3, I found)

8 ounces Parmesan cheese, broken into 1" chunks*
8 ounces Asiago cheese, broken into 1" chunks*
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped basil
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 teaspoon pepper flakes
1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for about 10 seconds, to break the cheese into small granules. (Use a rubber spatula to scrape down and recombine between every couple of pulses.)
Transfer the salsa to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Chef's Note: This is addicting! Serve it as a topping for bread, toss with pasta, spoon over fresh sliced tomatoes, the possibilities are endless.

*(Be sure to remove hard rind from side of cheese. It'll mutilate a food processor.)

Here are the appetizers for a class I taught last summer -- I made ALL of them in the quantity stated in an hour 5 I think it was -- just a wee bit over an hour. (That included cooking time for the ones that were hot). A nice selection and certainly go together quickly.

Martha



COLD APPETIZERS

PYLLO & SALMON CUPS
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 oz. smoked salmon
Phyllo or pastry cups
1 jar hot pepper jelly
salt and pepper

Cream together cream cheese and salt/pepper to taste. Spoon cream cheese mixture into cups just below the top of the cup. Break off a small piece of salmon and place on top of the cream cheese. Spoon 1 t. hot pepper jelly over the top of he salmon. Serve immediately.

GREEK SALSA

6 large tomatoes, diced
1 small red onion, diced
2 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled
1 small jar olives, sliced
1 small bunch Cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 bag tortilla chips

Combine all ingredients, except tortilla chips. Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips.

BLACK BEAN HUMMUS

1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 c. olive oil
1 T. lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Assorted veggies

Combine all ingredients except veggies in a blender (or food processor). Blend at high speed until smooth. Add more olive oil or water if needed. Serve with vegetables.



HOT APPETIZERS

MUSHROOM AND ONION TART
24 oz. mushrooms, sliced thin
1 small red onion, sliced thin
4 oz. goat cheese
1 sheet puff pastry dough
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Place puff pastry on a baking sheet and pierce several times with a fork. Bake puff pastry for 10 to 15 minutes until browned. Let cool 5 minutes and pat down any puff pastry that is puffy. Saute mushrooms, onions and oil over medium heat until the onions brown, about 10 minutes. Cover the puff pastry with the mushroom/onion mixture and crumble the goat cheese over top. Place in oven 5 minutes just to warm the goat cheese. Cut into small squares and serve.

ARTICHOKE CUPS

1 sheet puff pastry dough
1 can artichoke hearts, quartered
2 T. lemon juice
8 oz. pesto
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Mix artichoke hearts, lemon juice, salt and pepper. On a lightly floured surface roll out puff pastry to a thin sheet. Cut circles out with a biscuit cutter, place each circle in a well greased mini muffin tin. Spoon in a generous amount of pesto into the puff pastry cup. Place on quartered artichoke heart on top of the pesto. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the puff pastry has browned. Serve immediately.

BLUE CHEESE DIP

1 pound blue cheese, crumbled
8 oz. heavy cream

Combine blue cheese and heavy cream in an oven safe bowl and bake in a 425 oven until bubbling and brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately with baguette slices that have been toasted in an oven.

One of my "go to" menus for "appetizer nibbly affairs" are:

roast beef with little dollar rolls and jalapeno lime mayonnaise

baked shrimp in pastry cups

carrots, artichoke hearts, mini corn marinated in a sweet/sour vinaigrette (sort of like a veggie tray only without the dip -- and it can be made ahead)

Fruit tray

black bean dip and chips

brownies cut in wee cubes and topped with Kahlua whipped cream

Another dessert of your choice

Martha

nice choices thank you all

about 30 ppl

hot/cold
ahead time/day of/or free ahead/make ahead any ideas are apprieated

Oh, and don't forget sweets. Brownie bites, mini cupcakes, little bites like that. Everyone loves a sweet treat and a lot of those can be made ahead and frozen.

Martha

Wonderful appetizers, Martha, especially the puff pastry ones. I've bookmarked them. TFS