OK, so I’m going to a pot luck supper this evening after work. It’s been one of those weeks and I just haven’t had time to go to the grocery store and/or prepare anything (I have a 9-month old and she’s a vast Black Hole of Time). I need to be able to leave work, go to the grocery, run home, make something and then get my family in the car and off to the supper. I need an appetizer (or side dish) recipe that I can throw together in about 10 or 15 minutes.
I started to search around the 'net this morning (allrecipes.com, epicurious, cooks illustrated, etc.) but realized that this may be a better place to start.
So, does anyone have any easy, fast recipes for good appetizers or side dishes? I know I can just get a few kinds of crackers and a couple of nice wedges of cheese, but I’ll save that for a last resort. I’d like to do something a bit more involved.
Cricket
Mix cream cheese with just about anything, and use a pastry bag to pipe it into or onto veggies or crackers. Even quicker - buy one of those cream cheeses that is already mixed with stuff - garden vegetable or onion, for example. If you’ve got enough time to hollow out some cherry tomatoes and cut some celery sticks, you can make a pretty snack tray this way.
Motorgirl, that looks awesome! Here’s my “oh.shit.you.mean.the.potluck’s.tonight?” appetizer:
toasted sesame seeds
those little bite sized sausages (get good ones in the deli if you can, Li’l Smokies if you must)
Honey
Put the sausages in a bowl, pour honey over them and stir to coat. Spear each one on a toothpick and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Sprinkle more seeds on your serving plate (helps prevent sticking) and arrange the sausages artistically on top. Serve warm (nuke 'em!) or cold, whichever rings your bell.
Fast, easy, and good appetizer (with cream cheese too!)
1 package flour tortillas (plain or whatever kind floats your boat)
1 block cream cheese
1 small can finely diced black olives, drained
1 small can finely diced jalapeno peppers, drained
Mix cream cheese, olives, peppers. Spread on tortillas to the edge. Roll up tortillas, wrap in plastic wrap, put in fridge for 5-10 minutes. Remove plastic wrap, slice pinwheels about 1" wide.
One package cream cheese, softened slightly in the microwave.
Mix in one drained can of chopped green chilies.
Spread mixture on flour tortillas.
Roll up, cut into slices.
I like em plain but you can serve them with salsa.
1 can refried beans
1 jar chunky salsa (degree of spiciness up to you)
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 container sour cream
1 pouch of shredded cheese (american or longhorn)
Spread the refried beans (cold) directly on a dinner plate.
Spread a layer of the sour cream on top of the beans.
Put a layer of shredded lettuce on top of the sour cream.
Drain the liquid from the salsa and spread the chunky bits on top of the lettuce.
Sprinkle the cheese over top of everything.
Serve with tortilla chips.
Don’t waste the salsa liquid, btw, drain it into a glass and add a shot of tequila to it. Drink it while you make the dip.
Oh my God. The hell with the potluck - this sounds really, really good! And I DO have some tequila at home…
perhaps it’s time to go to lunch.
Thanks for all the great suggestions so far! Keep 'em coming!
Mmmmm, so many great ideas here. I’ll be bookmarking this thread!
Here’s one from Epicurious.com that I’ve used several times. I guess I never noticed before how quick it is.
I don’t use plantain chips, though, I usually just buy some Terra Chips to go with it.
CRAB AND COCONUT DIP WITH PLANTAIN CHIPS
Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min
1/3 cup well-stirred unsweetened canned coconut milk
3 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh jalapeño chile, including seeds
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 lb jumbo lump crab meat, picked over and coarsely shredded
Accompaniment: plantain chips
Blend coconut milk, scallions, jalapeño, and 1/4 cup cilantro in a blender until smooth and pour into a bowl. Whisk in mayonnaise, juice, and remaining 1/4 cup cilantro until just combined. Stir in crab and salt to taste and serve spooned on plantain chips.
Cooks’ note:
Dip can be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Stir before serving.
No, we don’t have a TJ’s. I really wish we did, though, because of all the good things I’ve heard about it. I don’t even read threads like that any more because they just make me jealous. The closest one is over an hour away. Which doesn’t exactly work with tonight’s time frame!
The crab and coconut dip sounds really good.
For the baked brie, would you still serve that with crackers (or those little toast things), or just on its own, since it’s got the pastry crust around it?
I saw this one last night on TV, and it sounds good. It’s simple enough to assemble when you arrive, which the cook says is best.
Get a chunk of Parmigiana Reggiano (sp?) cheese big enough to fill your hand, as freshly-cut as possible, and use the point of a knife to break it into bite-size chunks. Put some honey (1/4 cup? 1/2?) in a small bowl, add an ounce or so of truffle oil and some freshly-ground pepper, and mix well. Drizzle over the cheese at the last minute and serve with toothpicks. The cook spent maybe five minutes, and his tasters loved it.
(The show is called The Surreal Gourmet. He drives around with an old Airstream-style trailer done up like a toaster with bread slices sticking out the top and all. But his food is good!)
I meant to mention that Beadalin’s brie is easiest to slice with a bit of dental floss, according to Cooking secrets of the CIA*
Cut just through the rind, work a piece of dental floss (unflavoured, duh!) into the cut until the ends overlap, and pull. They cut three slices and layered them with smoked salmon, then chopped an entire bunch of fresh dill to cover the stack top and bottom, wrapped in plastic, and put it in the fridge overnight. That won’t work here, but maybe next time.
That’s the Culinary Institute of America, or so they say on the show. But we know better, right? :dubious:
