eta: I missed the no meat, no cheese mandate....sorry!

I think either dried apricot halves topped with a dollop of blue cheese/cream cheese mix with an almond on top would fit the slots nicely (or another cream cheese mix if you don't care for blue). Or a date stuffed with something similar.

Also, little mini cheese balls rolled in chopped dried cranberries would work and be colorful with your eggs.

Cherry tomatoes or mini red/yellow gold bell peppers filled with a little hummus or something similar (or cheese mix if you don't have other things with cheese stuffing).

A few things that come to mind:

Cherry tomato with basil leaf on a toothpick drizzled with balsamic vinegar. (leaving the cheese off traditional Caprese.)

Cocktail toast with avocado spread.

Broiled bacon wrapped date.

Melon balls.

Filo or puff pastry shell filled with anything

Olives, smoked almonds, quartered celery sticks with a thin strip of filling of some sort piped in placed as a rosette in one or more of the places. Honestly as few times as I make deviled eggs I would make two eggs for each of you. If you do not eat them they can be kept over night then chopped for an egg salad sandwich.

I have tons of recipes for little bites that would fit your plate, but you lost me at no meat or cheese.......

I shall continue to brainstorm.

Stuffed large cherry tomatoes--choose your favorite stuffing. Cut the whole top off around the stem and use a tomato knife or boning knife to extract the core. You can do halves, but they're not as special.

Bite sized nut balls. Like Olychick's cheese balls, but more nuts and fruits than cheese (cheese does make good glue but you could use nut butter or something).

Stuffed mushroom caps. Any filling you like, but caramelized onions and figs or pears are good.

Toasted ravioli. You can use one egg slot for a dipping sauce like marinara

Supremed orange slices (or grapefruit is you like it--refreshing!)

Little Chinese tidbits like shu mai or crab rangoon (yeah, I think the last is American, but it's really good and has a wonton wrapper).

Old fashion canapes on toast rounds.

I just had dinner and this is making me hungry....

How about crostini? This artichoke and olive one is amazing, especially made the day before.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/04/artichoke-olive-crostini/

My first thought was stuffed tomatoes, but that has been mentioned.

My second thought was artichoke hearts.

You could also do mushrooms stuffed with spinach, but those generally also have cheese, which you said you do not want.

I would put dippers of some sort in the middle of the plate be it sliced toasted baguettes or pita chips or crackers or bread sticks or torn up artisan bread...and/or you can use cut up veggies such as red pepper, carrots, celery, cucumber slices. Then put a couple of different toppings in the other cups such as bruschetta, hummus, olive tapenade, tzatziki sauce or similar cucumber/yogurt/dill dressing or even an olive oil dipping sauce. Mix and match to your hearts content...

So...we have 8 little slots to fill. I would want things that would complement the deviled eggs.

Stuffed green olives, baby Gherkins, cucumber rounds sliced in half,

I love Islay’s idea of smoked salmon, so I think I shall steal that idea as well.

With salmon, I like finely chopped red onion and capers and dill

I would add a third egg to take off the pressure of filling 8 slots!

Those little bowl shaped tortilla chips with corn, refried beans and a little salsa or sour cream.

cucumber sandwich

1) Shrimp(about 3" long), wrapped in bacon. 2) Mushrooms filled with bread stuffing. 3) Little smokies, pigs in a blanket. 4) Breaded & fried sliced eggplant rolled up with cream cheese filling or bread stuffing.

No meat or cheese of any kind?

I had 2 of those devilled egg plates....not sure where they are just now. But I think the reason I don't use it is because it really doesn't look right with anything but devilled eggs. And it holds 12 halves, which is really 6 eggs....that's 3 each, not really a lot.

I would boil up 6 eggs and vary the fillings. make one traditional mustardy devilled eggs, but use an extra yolk and fill the halves really full, then fill another 2 halves with maybe a tuna salad ( the one where you used the yolks in the other eggs)...then with the third give it sort of a mexican vibe....add some chili powder, cumin and maybe some green chili sauce to moisten.

I would do various kinds of seafood in interesting ways as I imagine your dinner will include plenty of meat and cheese.

How about mini vegetable and fruit skewers. Maybe use a toothpick size skewer, like they use in burgers. You could let your imagination run wild.

Marinated olives: I've made these lots, and so easy

use the juice that's in the jar
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 small cloves garlic, slivered
1 jar (7 ounces) large green olives *mixed olives are great I prefer small olives, mixed.

Place oregano, pepper flakes and garlic in jar of olives with olive juice
Cover tightly and shake until seasonings are well distributed

store in refrigerator

Pickled pineapple

• 20 ounces pineapple chunks
• ▢3/4 Cup . vinegar
• ▢1 1/4 Cup granulated sugar
• ▢1/8 teaspoon salt
• ▢6 whole cloves
• ▢1 4-inch stick cinnamon

• Drain syrup from pineapple into saucepan. Add vinegar, sugar, salt and spices. Simmer uncovered for ten minutes and then add pineapple and bring to a boil. Cool and refrigerate

It is a difficult year for tradition. Just the two of us instead of 12-16, and often 24 or more. We religiously have light meals the few days before. A seafood stew the night before Thanksgiving and a simple egg frittata the morning of. No crust just veg and egg. Lots of greens. Tiny bit of ham or bacon/prosciutto.

I try to make pre dinner snacks to hold the vultures over till the meal is served...usually fresh veg and ingredients not in a traditional Thanksgiving meal. My family tradition is grazing. In and out of the kitchen all day looking for treats. 🙄.

Mom's deviled eggs devoured. (in her vintage plate). 😍

Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, capers, mushrooms, spinach, avocado, smoked salmon, shrimp...lots of variations that do not need cheese or meat.

None above are in most Thanksgiving meals. We like to use seafood apps pre-dinner. With cucumber. Dill. Celery leaves. Mint.

Artichoke hearts, olives, halved cherry toms, cucumber, smoked salmon...

Mushrooms stuffed with leek, shallots, garlic, spinach, ...

Do you like chicken liver? You could do bacon wrapped, or cooked with soy & ginger & a tiny bit of sesame oil, or with a hot pepper jelly ( or any other) glaze.

Glenda, I was hoping you’d chime in! Your recipes are always great! I took your marinated cheese cubes to a (small, outdoor, socially distanced) gathering a few weeks ago, and they were a big hit. I’m going to do the olives next time.

undertoad,

Spinach squares
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tbl chopped onion or more to your liking
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups (8 ounces) finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Dash of Nutmeg (opt) **To me, the nutmeg gives it an extra umph. I like it. Enough so you can taste the hint of nutmeg

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan an melt 1 Tbl butter in oven in the pan.

2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk, eggs, spinach and cheese until just combined. Pour batter into baking pan with melted butter and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Test for doneness with toothpick

3. Remove from oven and let cool on rack for 15 minutes. Cut into bite sized squares

They are fine served room temperature or chilled.

Glenda - I might make these. There's only 2 of us, but I can see us having them along with some tomato soup for a light supper. Thank you. Hope you are doing better.

seagrass, thanks. They are a hit a potlucks!

This is quick and easy.

I modified and stir everything together and bake in a pyrex dish

chile cheese squares
It can also be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and served hot, cold, or at room temperature.

2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 cans green chiles
4 well beaten eggs
.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the cheese and chiles in the
bottom of a 9X13 baking dish. Pour the eggs over the top. Bake for
30-40 minutes or until golden brown and firm. Cool to room temperature
and then cut into squares.

***I baked mine in a square pyrex dish Finger food, does not need a fork

Serve with salsa if desired

I'd also go with shrimp, either wrapped in bacon (yes, the dreaded meat) or just cooked and chilled with a dab of your choice of cocktail sauce or remoulade. If you don't care for shrimp you could substitute an oyster or go big and use a lobster claw.

I need a carb, LOL. Miniature cheese gougere. Arancini. Rice stuffed dolmades. Toasted ravioli or individual tortellini. Spanakopita. A pita triangle with a dab of hummus. Bruschetta on a round of garlic toast. Mini quiche. Fingerling potatoes filled with a tiny bit of sour cream and a dollop of caviar, or filling of your choosing.

I like the rangoon idea, or small wontons filled with whatever you like. Small peppers stuffed with whatever you like could add some color if you used the colorful sweet peppers or if you are braver than I am, you could make jalapeno "poppers".

Elery and I were just discussing the possibility of an entirely appetizer based holiday meal. I would happily nibble on appetizers all day and skip the big meal altogether, although I think the small bites take longer to prepare than a turkey.

Happy and Blessed holidays, no matter what you choose.

Annie

Trying to think of things that have a similiar shape to compliment the serving dish. Esgargot stuffed mushroom caps are a favourite of ours but any stuffed mushroom would be great. Stuffed cherry tomatoes would add some great colour. Another idea is shrimp or crab stuffed endive leaves.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and stay safe everyone!

I made Glenda’s chili cheese squares for a dinner party several years back. It was so easy and a big hit appetizer. If I remember correctly,made it early in the day and refrigerated. My family favorite.

Annie, I've been doing appetizer buffet for my too big holiday party since it moved to my house. The great thing is that a lot of them freeze really well, leaving day of prep about the same as for any big dinner.

I have often made mushroom caps stuffed with shrimp scampi like filling — breadcrumbs, chopped stems, chopped shrimp, seasoning, olive oil, bit of grated Parmesan.... baked. Add a bit of water and butter to bottom of pan.

If you want to go calorically wild — filo triangles with shrimp in roux with Gruyere, bit of nutmeg, folded flag style, buttered layers. In hot oven. Oh, yes, there is pale dry sherry in the roux mix somewhere. Good for New Year’s Eve as well. Forget any other food. Just keep feeding me these.

This recipe makes 24 which is way more than you need, but they are soooooo good!

Maybe some version of this (when scrolling down, it states: Can I Make These Vegetarian?

You sure can! These stuffed onions are a great vegetarian appetizer, or even a side. Just omit the ground meat and add a touch more rice. Or you can use some chopped roasted peppers, or other roasted veggies, whatever takes your fancy!

https://steamykitchen.com/25722-lebanese-roasted-stuffed-onions-recipe-video.html

Those look delicious! A nice variation on a stuffed cabbage roll!

Nover really tried them, just browsed & found. :)