Linelle, Here's an easy and delicious salmon canape. Always gets eaten!

The Christmas tree pinwheels is so cute! I may have to do that for my book club Christmas party.

On the more expensive side of things, my absolute favourite dish to bring and eat is a charcuterie board.

Annie addicted me to those apricot bites --- dried apricot, a smidge of mascarpone, and a pecan. Easy, yummy, not gross, and protein!

Basically you can do almost any soft cheese (blue, goat, cream, brie, mascarpone) with any nut (walnut, pecan, pistachio, almond etc) or any dried fruit.

I've also made these, below; Apricot w Basil, Goat Cheese and almonds

This is bound to have a wide variety of dishes, from stuffed eggs to crock pots of pulled pork or chili.

Right now I'm considering Christmas Tree pinwheels (I'd get so much extra credit for a tree-shaped presentation), chipotle pecans, and/or salmon canapés.

Keep 'em coming. Looks like we're all in the same boat anyway.

Mtn, those look divine. In the picture it looks like almonds on top. Is honey being drizzled? After years of thinking pecans were akin to walnuts, which can be rough on my mouth, I discovered they're not the same as walnuts at all. Toasted they are too wonderful.

Linelle, Look more closely, i discussed many variations. Yes, the one pictured has honey on top.

Mtn, indeed you did say there were many variations. Just trying to trip you up. ;-)

Bruschetta & sliced baguettes to put it on. Doesn't need to be heated. I make mine with tomatoes, garlic, feta cheese, Kalamatta olives tossed in olive oil & balsamic vinaigrette.

Thinly sliced salami rounds, folded in half and rolled to form a cone. Stuff with horseradish cream cheese mixture and secure with fancy green & red ruffled toothpicks. Could present on a platter in a Christmas tree shape...These go fast at the parties I've taken them. I use the softer Philly Neufchatel brick and mash jarred refrigerated horseradish into the cheese until I like the way it tastes. Not too strong...easy to make, easy to eat!

Savory Gouda Bites (A Biltmore House recipe) are great and easy to make. Some guests may think they're cookies! Uh...no.

Savory Gouda Bites

Preheat oven to 375°F
Makes 36

1/2 pound (8 ounces) gouda cheese, shredded (I use the food processor shredding blade)
1/2 cup butter, softened (not melted)

1 1/2 cups of plain flour
1 teaspoon DRY mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Mix the gouda and butter together in a large bowl until well-blended and smooth.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.

3. Add the dry ingredients, a little a time, to the gouda mixture and continue to mix.

4. Continue to mix until the ingredients bind together into a soft dough. (This may seem like it will never happen, but keep mixing. The appetizers will not be toughened by the mixing)

5. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.

6. If not using nuts*, press the ball to flatten slightly.

7. Bake at 375°F for about 18 minutes (slightly brown).

8. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

9. Store in an airtight container.

*Optional Garnish:

36 cashews, roasted, whole, lightly salted

Press one whole nut into the top of each ball of dough before baking.

I also need to take an appetizer type dish to a party in a couple of weeks. This is one I’ve been eying, though I would use puff pastry instead of the crescent dough, I think. All the recipes shared here sound delicious!

Cranberry Brie Bites. http://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/thanksgiving/videos/a56652/cranberry-brie-bites-video/

Not finger food but served with toothpicks, you're good to go:

Pat Conroy's Pickled Shrimp

I love the pickled onions in it, too. BTW, his book containing this recipe The Pat Conroy Cookbook, is a wonderful read!

Yum, everyone. I think we should have a party and everyone bring whatever you posted here.

Artistic plating might be slightly wasted on this crowd. Not that they are a pack of philistines, but most likely people will begin chowing down before the beauty can be fully appreciated by all. I'm going for 1) delicious, 2) easy to prep ahead of time, 3) easy to pick up and eat, 4) not a total mess on the serving plate.

Wow -- thanks to all for these inspiring ideas! Looks like my annual Xmas Festive Family Frolic will have some new delights to munch on this year.

How 'bout pigs in blankets? Two packs of coctail weiners + 4 rolls of crescent dough, and you're good to go. Everyone likes them, they're fine at room temperature and can sit out a long time. I'd make a big plate of them and include a mustard and a BBQ dipping sauce.

Mrs Pete, pigs in a blanket is my friend’s signature dish. I wouldn’t dare.

I have so far printed off the cranberry feta pinwheels and the chipotle pecans which I'm pretty sure I printed off last year. But this way I don't have to go looking for it.

I have made the pinwheels with lox and thinly sliced English cucumber. The cream cheese spread has a hint of lemon juice and horseradish in it. People seem to really like it.

In the line of honey chipotle pecans are Ina Garten's Rosemary Roasted Cashews, and Smitten Kitchen's Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts. I think roasted spiced nuts are great to bring in this situation - a bit of protein, easy to keep warm for a short drive, and uncommon enough to delight.

nini804 What you suggested is called vegetable pizza and I agree it is yummy and is very popular food item at parties.

Upon further review of this delicious thread I have now printed off the Cranberry, pecan, goat cheese on sweet potato bites. It will be perfect for Christmas. My sons girlfriend is celiac so this will be easy, tasty, pretty and suitable.

I find these so easy.

For our party yesterday, I brought shrimp. That is easy, and no leftovers.

gscience, I really like the marinated shrimp from Costco. Extremely easy.

texanjana, your goat cheese bites sound great, except for the goat cheese. I eat virtually everything but seem to have the anti-goat cheese gene. I suppose cream cheese could be substituted. Don't the sweet potato slices get a bit soft/bendy after they're roasted?

For those suggesting shrimp -- I'm one who is allergic to shrimp.

It's all fine if there's no cross-contamination, so please monitor the serving utensils so that something that's touched the shrimp, doesn't get used in another dish. It's one of those allergies that may send some people into an emergency.

@laurie - I've made those cucumber cups with lox before and they are really good. I usually make them for the summer as they are so refreshing but they would be great at Christmas as a low-cal appetizer

Linelle-I haven't made them yet, so I'm not sure. I am actually using mascarpone instead of goat cheese and I am sure the whipped cream cheese would work as well. I will be making them on Saturday.

Asparagus wrapped in prosciutto?

What about water chestnuts wrapped in a 1/2 slice of bacon with chili sauce/brown sugar and mayonnaise dip on the side? The times I've set these out for guests they went so fast I didn't even get one.

I sometimes look at thrift stores for beautiful (and inexpensive) serving dishes and do the same as hhireno does, gift it to the hosts of the party. We have a thrift store in our town which benefits Senior Services. I think they get a lot of things donated as seniors downsize or move to nursing homes, and also estate items. The selection of nice pieces is sometimes unbelievable.

What a cool idea about donating a nice serving plate. I try to bring stuff on half-decent paper plates and just walk away when it's time to go. This party is being hosted by someone who doesn't need any new plates.

ilovecomputers, those bacon-wrapped water chestnuts are one of my earliest memories. I could put a few of those away right now.

I have made a cheese spread out of marscapone, goronzola and toasted walnuts, it is fab and easy.

Great thread, thanks for asking Linelle! Another easy app is shrimp and tortellini. Marinate a bag of large cooked shrimp in Italian salad dressing. Buy mulitcolored frozen tortellini and cook according to package directions. Throw those into the dressing when cool. Skewer on pretty picks and serve. I usually line the platter with kale or some other hearty green. The colors are so festive: green, pink and white tortellini with the pink shrimp, plus they are so yummy.

This party is being hosted by someone who doesn't need any new plates.

Ah well, then I become part of the problem and not part of the solution. If you’re making me feed myself, then you’re getting a gift plate/bowl because I’m not taking a dirty thing back home. At a party last year, some of the people just put the boxes of crackers (for their dips) on the table -no basket, no bowl, no effort to make it look nice. This year she can break out my gift bowl for those people to use.

Last year, someone showed up, sort of late, with 2 dozen sandwich rolls. There wasn’t anything to put in the rolls. They didn’t bring anything and the hostess didn’t provide anything like ham. I wonder what the hostess did with those at the end of the evening?

I don't mind taking a dirty thing back home, but sometimes I have to leave before the food is all consumed, and I'd as soon just walk away. That's why I usually bring my offering on a paper plate. This is a very casual crew, so no one minds.

For platters and plates I don't want to take back home I just go to the dollar tree. They have all different sizes and styles.

"This party is being hosted by someone who doesn't need any new plates." Haha, well then she can take her next potluck dish on them and leave them at someone else's party!

"pack of philistines" - hahaha, Linelle!

Hhireno, please bring something pretty to my Gardenweb party! Otherwise, everyone I seem to party with is senior and wants no extra "things" either. It's not hard to pass my "pretty" criterion. Make it current, not from the 1970s yellow/orange/brown/avocado puke green.

I'm laughing about leftover plates because I was just thinking that I didn't want to have to take a dirty container home. I remembered that I have some of those plastic plates that look sort of like china from Costco leftover from some outdoor event. I think I will take my offerings on those. They can be thrown in the recycle bin or trash.

I think this fits the criteria you've laid out. It's always been a hit with both ladies & men. It's easy, fast and looks nice.

Toasted baguette slices topped with onion & chive cream cheese and Boars Head (or other high-end) shaved deli roast beef. Finish with minced chives.

oh, geez, I just realized I was late to the party with my suggestion! What did you end bringing?

Jennifer, I just headed back here to close the case.

Despite all the wonderful—and infinitely more creative—recipes and suggestions here, I ended up taking the lime/cilantro marinated shrimp from Costco. Big hit. I’m kinda glad I didn’t spend too much time on prep (basically I spent none). It wasn’t the right crowd for it. Salmon something would have also been good.

I took the shrimp in my very own hand-painted bowl from Israel. When I left for the 10-minute drive home I took the bowl and remaining shrimp with me in my car. I can’t imagine how that can present a problem for anyone. The next two days I had wonderful salads for lunch sprinkled liberally with the remaining shrimp.

Love, love, love those Costco shrimp. i usually add more cilantro though!

In the end, it's about the people. Bringing something tried and true like the lime shrimp is perfect!

I did make a bit more marinade myself to add right before the party. Alas, I didn't have any extra cilantro. They are infinitely better than the plain boiled shrimp on many appetizer plates.

Linelle, I was telling my DH about your post. Everyone was posting such intricate lovely appetizers and then you went with a fabulous shrimp from Costco. It made us both laugh. I wished I had a Costco nearby. I would be getting all of my party foods there!

We are going to a Christmas Eve dinner and decided we would take a spinach dip in a bread bowl. My husband loves to bake and he practiced making one yesterday. I asked him why we don't just buy one at the grocery and he said he liked making bread! I thought that was pretty funny. We are also taking some nice big homemade biscuits. I do not see how one can go wrong with biscuits with your dinner instead of plain bread! I guess it is not a common thing to bring but I know I will gobble them up!

AK, Costco definitely supplies many receptions and parties around here. And many of the wonderful appetizers suggested upthread have been saved and/or printed for my overflowing binder. They were not posted in vain!

I used to bring spinach dip in a bread bowl to many events, even when there was some travel time involved. How did your husband's bread turn out?

Linelle, it turned out very well! He has become quite the talented baker.

I made several batches of Natal's Honey Chipotle Pecans and took them to work. They were such a hit! I have read that recipe here several times, but had never made them until this year. It's a keeper, for sure! Thanks for suggesting it, Legomom!

I was just at a party and they had these....so tasty and easy!

Chili con Queso bites

They made a dip for them with some sour cream mixed in with more picante sauce.