Cocktail party appetizers

15 years ago

So, I'm "catering" a cocktail party Saturday night. It's for 3 birthdays and a surprise going away for a couple of friends who are moving away. Probably 40-50 people--and some will be bringing stuff. I need a few appetizer-like things to serve. Preferably something I can make in larger quantities. We are having a cake for the birthdays.

I'm going to make a couple dishes of the lemon squares and put small pieces in paper cups like candy, and I'd still like one more dessert thing--preferably something chocolate. :)

I think that I may do chicken satay. It's fairly simple and people love it. I will have a large shrimp cocktail too.

People will probably bring things like cheese balls so I'd like to concentrate on a little larger stuff.

A little brainstorming would be VERY helpful!

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Comments (6)

stacy3
15 years ago
I recently made brownies in mini muffin tins - then dipped them in ganache...arranged on a platter with some strawberries. boy were they good!

What about some mini sandwiches?

Mini Roast Beef and Horseradish Panini Triangles

Ingredients:
Â 3 Tbs. horseradish cream
Â 1/2 cup crÃ¨me fraÃ®che
Â 1/4 tsp. salt
Â 3 Tbs. minced fresh chives
Â 12 slices white sandwich bread
Â Olive oil for brushing
Â 9 oz. thinly sliced roast beef
Â 3 oz. thinly sliced aged cheddar cheese
(optional)
Directions:
Preheat an electric panini press to medium-high heat according to the manufacturer's instructions.

In a small bowl, whisk together the horseradish cream, crÃ¨me fraÃ®che, salt and chives. Set aside.

Brush one side of 6 of the bread slices with olive oil. Lay the slices, oiled side down, on a clean work surface and brush the tops of each slice with 1 1/2 Tbs. of the horseradish mixture. Place 1 1/2 oz. roast beef and 1/2 oz. cheese on each of the 6 slices. Top each with one of the plain bread slices and brush the tops with olive oil.

Place 3 of the sandwiches on the preheated panini press and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until crispy and dark golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

Cut the crusts off the sandwiches. Cut each sandwich diagonally and then diagonally again, forming 4 triangles. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately. Makes 24 hors d'oeuvres.
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.
stacy3
15 years ago
Annt's spinach squares are delicious as are sherry's spinach brownies.

Spinach Squares Â Ann T
===============
These are really good. They are from a Woman's Day Home Entertainment Magazine from Dec. 1982.
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen, chopped spinach
1/2 cup choped onion
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
8 eaggs beaten
10 to 12 soda crackers, crumbled (2/3 cup)
2 teaspoons herbs, (thyme, rosemary, dill)
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated cheddar cheese Parmesan cheese
paprika
. Thaw and drain spinach. In large skillet, heat oil. Saute spinach,
onioin, garlic and parsley until lightly cooked. Add eggs, crackers,
seasonings and Cheddar cheese, mix together. Pour into a greased 8 1/4
X 13 1/2 inch baking dish. Sprinkle top with parmesan cheese and
paprika and bake at 325 for 45 minutes, or until knife inserted in
centre comes out clean. cut in small squares, about 1 3/4 inches. May
be served hot or cold. Makes 36 squares

Spinach Brownies -sheshebop
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
16 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup chopped onion (I use a whole onion)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
4 T. butter, melted
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350.
Spray 12 x 8 pan with cooking spray
Drain spinach in colander and squeeze out moisture
Combine cheese, spinach & onion in a large bowl. Mix.
Stir salt & baking powder into flour and mix with spinach mixture.
Mix eggs, butter, and milk and stir into other ingredients.
Pour into pan.
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, until just starting to turn lightly brown.
You can also make these in mini muffine tins as hors deouvres and bake for 18-20 minutes. Makes 42
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blizlady, that would be Sherry (sheshebop), she makes the spinach "brownies" and I love 'em. How many people do you have to serve appetizers to, Dawn? Little pate choux puffs, tiny cream puffs, can be filled with various fillings including chicken salad, egg, tuna or seafood salad, a thick southwestern chicken kind of filling, whatever you like. I make rye puffs and fill with reuben fillings and they can be done ahead of time easily. Reuben Puffs 1 cup water 1/2 cup butter, cubed 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup rye flour 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 eggs Caraway seeds CORNED BEEF FILLING: 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 2 packages (2 ounces each) thinly sliced deli corned beef, chopped 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons minced chives 2 tablespoons diced onion 1 teaspoon spicy brown or horseradish mustard 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flours, parsley, garlic powder and salt all at once; stir until a smooth balls forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat until smooth. Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets or make puffs with a pastry bag. Sprinkle with caraway. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks. Immediately cut a slit in each puff to allow steam to escape; cool. In a large bowl, combine the first eight filling ingredients. Split puffs; add filling. Refrigerate. Yield: 4-1/2 dozen. I make these cheese thumbprints filled with hot pepper jelly, they are pretty popular. I make my own habanero jelly to fill them with, but anything you like could be used, including salsa. I got the recipe from Carol (Readinglady) and she's never given me a bad recipe! Savory Cheddar And Jalapeno Jelly Cookies 8 oz (about 2 1/2 cups) finely grated (use smallest holes on grater box) extra-sharp cheddar cheese 6 tbs (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup all purpose flour 1/3 cup jalapeno jelly, apple butter, or chopped chutney Place cheese ad butter in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add flour and process until mixture forms a soft dough. Gather up dough and divide into two flat disks. Wrap in wax paper and freeze until chilled, about 45 minutes. Position two racks in center and top third of oven. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone pads. Place the jelly in a small plastic bag and force it into one corner. Snip off the corner of the bag to make a small hole. Set bag aside. Using 1 tsp of dough for each, roll the dough into small balls. Place the balls 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Using the end of a wooden spoon or a 1/2-inch wide dowel, poke an indentation in each cookie. Pipe the jelly from bag into the indentation. Return to the oven and bake, switching the position of the sheets from top to bottom, halfway through baking, until the tops are lightly browned, about 10 minutes (the cookies will continue to crisp as they cool). Transfer to a wire cake racks and cool completely. Can be prepared 2 days in advance in stored in air tight containers at room temperature. OK, first I use a spoon, not a bag, for the jelly, I made a big mess with that ziplock bag thing. Second I bake them one pan at a time, I don't do the remove/switch thing, it's easier for me to do one pan at a time. Third, this dough is very similar to another one posted here by Weed, so you could wrap it around an olive or pecan, etc., and make a whole difrferent kind of appetizer. I doubt I'd take the time to wrap the dough, I'd probably plunk an olive in the middle of the "cookie" and call it good, LOL. If you don't do something like the puffed sandwiches, Ann T's Gougiere would be lovely, I think. An antipasta plate could be nice and could be entirely assembled ahead of time and I've had Caprese-on-a-stick, which was basically a cherry tomato, a chunk of marinated mozzarella, an olive and a leaf of basil, all skewered for serving. Meatballs would stay hot in a crockpot or small Nesco roaster without any last minute prep at all, as would chicken wings, although those could be messy unless they are boneless. Do you need something sweet, or just savory stuff? Annie
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Vivian Kaufman
Original Author
15 years ago
The little sandwiches MIGHT require a bit too much immediacy and attention. They sound wonderful, though! Maybe for a smaller party--and at my own house..LOL I think that they would definitely be better warm.

Mini brownies...yes. I generally use Ina's Outrageous Brownies recipe. That makes a TON. The ganache would make them special... I'm all about special...LOL

Spinach squares sound perfect! Thanks Ann. I think those are a definite YES.

I've done the spinach brownies--maybe too much, I fear....LOL They are good...

I really could use another meat.... hint, hint... :)

Very helpful so far!
eileenlaunonen
15 years ago
Vivian...I brought up an old thread on the recipe exchange wih lots of appetizers...check it out it might help you
Vivian Kaufman
Original Author
15 years ago
I most certainly will. Thanks!
obxgina
15 years ago
Vivan how about a Torta:
Torta

Vegetable spray
4 pieces sun-dried tomatoes
4 leaves fresh basil
3 tubs, 6 ounces each, soft garlic and herb cheese (recommended: Alouette brand)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato tapenade
1/4 cup prepared basil pesto
1 baguette or whole grain baguette, pre-sliced at the bread counter
Handful baby carrots
Handful grape tomatoes
Line a small shallow dish or bowl with plastic wrap or waxed paper. Coat wrap with vegetable spray. Arrange a pattern in bottom of the dish using the sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Add 1 1/2 tubs of garlic and herb cheese (about half a pound) to the dish and smooth over, then layer in the sun-dried tomato spread and the pesto. Spread the remaining cheese on top of the pesto. Place a serving plate over the bowl and invert the bowl. Hold on to the edges of the waxed paper or wrap to release the cheese. Remove the waxed paper or plastic wrap. Arrange the sliced baguette along 1 side of the torta.
Arrange carrots and tomatoes along the opposite side of the torta.

Or brushetta, you can make that ahead of time and in large quantities

Cocktail party appetizers

Comments (6)

stacy3

stacy3

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Cocktail party appetizers

Comments (6)

stacy3

stacy3

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obxgina

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