and this lamp…
and this paddletoy…
and my little dog ::grrrrr:: well maybe not my dog…
Ditto on the cream cheese jar. That with jalapeno jelly and Wheat Thins will make a chihuahua break his chain.
My mom always makes these:
Cream Cheese
Stuffed Green Olives (pimento)
Celery
Chop up the green olives and mix into the cream cheese. Spread the mixture into the hollow of the celery stalks
Eat.
Quick and easy, I eat these constantly around the holidays.
Quick and yummy.
Take flour tortillas. Sprinkle half with a liberal dose of shredded cheese (I usually use one of those four cheese mexican blends.) Sprinkle some crushed red pepper in the middle of if, you’re feeling crazy. Fold in half, and lightly butter the top, and sprinkle parmesan cheese. Broil in the oven until the butter melts, but before it burns. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa.
I have a slightly different artichoke dip than Southpaw (whose is really a spinach/artichoke dip)…
[li]2 cans marinated artichoke hearts (drained and chopped up really finely)[/li][li]1 cup mayo[/li][li]1 cup parmesan cheese[/li]
Mix in a glass baking dish and bake in a 350º oven for 30 minutes (or until edges are browned).
Serve with crackers for dipping.
The good part is, it’s ridiculously easy. The bad part is, it’s so universally loved at every party I’ve ever made it for, that I never get any left-overs. [sub](Note to self: Next time double the batch!)[/sub]
Everyone seems to love these little finger foods, too…
[li]Get your favorite cracker (I like either Ritz or Carr’s Water Crackers for this)[/li][li]Spread some soft cream cheese on it[/li][li]Add a dollop of cocktail sauce[/li][li]Top with a boiled shrimp (throw on a couple or so, if you’re using those tiny salad shrimp)[/li]
YUM!
I really appreciate your consideration in avoiding stepping on my penis - Spiny Norman
[sym][sub][sup]©[/sup][/sub][/sym] Jeg elsker dig, Thomas [sym][sub][sup]©[/sup][/sub][/sym]
The Charleston Junior League publishes a cookbook called “Party Receipts.” Every single recipe in there is for party food. Hot appetizers, cold appetizers, beverages, salads, desserts, etc. It rocks. It’s my favorite cookbook and I don’t even eat shrimp and grits! Go figure!
My officemate just brought in an artichoke dip that had black olives and water chestnuts in it. Damn was it tasty.
I mix cream cheese with cocktail sauce, green onions, and surimi krab (I like it. Sue me). It goes really well on triscuits. My coworkers demand it for goodie day every year at Christmastime.
Cream cheese seems to be stuff hors d’oerves are made of! Here’s my favorite:
take a roll of Pillsbury Crescent rolls (the kind in the cardboard tube)
1 package cream cheese
separate the perforated dough (God, I love pastry in a tube!) and wrap each pice around a blob of cream cheese, bake according to the package directions. Cool for 5 minutes (they’re center-of-the-sun hot right out of the oven) I always make extra because I gobble up a bunch before the guests ever get a crack at 'em.
I’ll have to check with my dad on this one. But he makes this cool dip for regular ol’ Corn Chips… I’m pretty sure all he does is melt Cream Cheese into a can of chili. (Dennisons extra chunky)
It always thought it sounds kinda nasty… but its goooooood
Shayna, take two great ideas and combine them. Spread the cream cheese on a plate, spread the cocktail sauce over the plate, then dump on the shrimp and let the guests spread it on their own darn crackers.
Devilled eggs are mind-boggingly good, but kinda time-consuming. Peel a dozen or three hard-boiled eggs, cut them in half (lengthwise) and scoup the yolks into a bowl. Throw pretty much whatever you want into the bowl with the yolks (some suggestions: mustard, or maybe some horseradish, some onion, some garlic, or even, if the gods permit it, bits of prosciutto ), then add enough Mayo so it all sticks together. Scoup the mixture back into the now-empty yolk hole, and sprinkle with paprika.
And don’t underestimate the all-important “deep-fried coated stuff with sauce” food group. From tempura batter-covered vegitables (onions, bell peppers, carrots, baby corn, sweet potatoe, everything tastes better deep-fried) with ranch sauce to bits of string cheese wrapped in wonton wrappers and deep-fried with marinara sauce, there’s something in this group for every taste 
-LV
Genoa (has to be) Genoa Salami slices, put some softened cream cheese on them and roll up. It is a crowd pleaser and so easy.
A tuna, egg, ham or chicken salad placed into cherry tomatoes that have been sliced at the top and the innerds cleaned out.
Check out my artichoke dip, it was the first thing to go at a party I made it for last summer, serve with veggies or lightly toasted pita bread in wedges. I am telling you, this was the star of the party. (not to upstage anyone else’s artichoke dip it’s just another version.)
A veggie tray is always a party do – for formal and informal gatherings. I personally prefer to have the deli do it for me, it’s one of those time consuming things I would rather not do.
Don’t forget the Seven Layer dip, or jalepeno poppers (not the fried ones but the ones that have bacon around them)
< I do have some recipes on my website for those that are interested, you don’t have to be a Coloradoan to join, just come on over and post the recipes you have posted here. >
I hear ya JarbabyJ! Here’s a coupla mine.
BBQ Wieners
3 or 4 packages of cocktail wieners
1 large bottle of your favorite bbq sauce
1 can of Lite Beer
Put wieners in crock pot. Mix bbq sauce and beer together. Pour over wieners. Stir it all up to coat the wieners. Cook on high 1 hour. Turn crock pot down to low and let em simmer 3-4 hours. Serve right from the crock pot and leave the setting on low. Just stir it around once in a while.
Cheese Crisp
2 sticks of margarine (margarine! I read your pit rant :D)
8 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups of self-rising flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Cayenne pepper to taste, use a little use a lot!
2 cups of rice krispies
Let margarine and cheese soften. Cream cheese and margarine together ( I like to squish it all up with my hands). Add salt and cayenne pepper. Add flour one cup at a time. Mix in rice krispies. Roll out into little balls and place on cookie sheet. Press down on little balls with a fork (makes purty little criss-cross patterns). Bake in 350 degree oven 10-12 minutes. Makes a big ol bunch of munchies.
Confession…I make the cheese crisps sometimes just cause I like to munch on em. Gooooooooooooood with beer!
Here’s my spinach/artichoke dip recipe:
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 t. or so garlic powder
mix, bake at 350 til bubbly (about 30 minutes). I NEVER have leftovers of this!
My stuffed mushrooms are pretty easy and nummy. Chop the stems finely with a bunch of green onions and a clove or three of garlic. Saute in butter til mushroom stems are soft and brown. Mix this stuff with an egg, a T or 2 of lemon juice, some bread crumbs, 1/4 cup or so parmesan and a little oregano. Stuff in the caps and bake at 350 until crispy on top and nicely browned.
Oh another easy appeteaser. 
Marinate some sliced up chicken breasts in teriaki (sp) sauce, soak some wooden skewers in some water, spear the chicken through the scewer like a ribbon, either grill or place under a broiler (grilling is prefered but can broil if you can’t use a grill.) Just heat up some extra sauce and put in a dish in the center and place the chicken “kabobs” around the sauce dish.
You could also do some small shrimp in the same way, and alternate the shrimp and chicken “kabobs” on the plate.
Here’s the only appetizer I know:
Mix together:
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
Spread on slices of cocktail rye bread (also works with Pepperidge Farm sourdough bread of the same size), put a slice of cucumber on each slice of bread, and sprinkle dill weed on top.
Well…I do know one more…
Slice summer sausage. Slice cheese (works best with multiple kinds–medium cheddar, colby jack and swiss are what I used last time). Put sliced cheese and sausage into a large tupperware container and refrigerate together overnight (this is the important step–it lets the tastes mingle together). Set out with Ritz crackers.
Calamata olive spread on melba rounds. I don’t think anyone needs an explanation, do they?
Thank you jarbaby for starting this thread. I was just looking at my menu for my annual football club holiday party, and thinking that I needed to add some new (new to us) party foods, and this thread gave me some great ideas.
I do have to ask stofsky if he is related to my in-laws. These people believe that sausage balls (exactly as you described them) are their own special food group, and would, if left to their own devices, eat them at every meal. They are tasty, no doubt, but they have taken the sausage ball to a whole new level for food, one that I believe violates that commandment about placing no gods before the Big Guy.
Anyway, some things that I have had success with:
Chicken Salad Dip
cooked chicken, shredded
celery, chopped
walnuts, chopped
plain yogurt
paprika
hot sauce
Mix together and serve as a dip, with pita wedges (the crunchy kind). I like this because it’s a dip, but it’s pretty substantial. Note: know your crowd, and caution people that it has nuts in it, if you have nut allergic people on your guest list. For some reason, the nuts are very hard to see (at least after a few cocktails).
Foccaccia Sandwiches
Buy foccaccia bread from ritzy bakery
Fillings:
- Tuna salad, consisting of tuna mixed with Russian Dressing (this is the part, I think, where Ike never speaks to me again)
- Ham and provolone with horseraddish mustard
- Mozzarella (fresh) with roasted red pepper and pesto
Cut sandwiches into little squares, secure with holiday-appropriate festive toothpicks.
Tortilla Roll Ups
Buy flour tortillas, and if possible, get a variety of the ones that are plain, spinach, and tomato, so you can have different colors
Chop carrots, red and green pepppers, and whatever other raw veggies you like, and add a little fresh garlic. Mix together.
Spread tortillas with cream cheese (the SDMB seems to be keeping the cream cheese people in business). Sprinkle veggie mix over cream cheese.
Roll up tortilla. Trim ends so they are even and don’t have veggies falling out all over the place.
Place rolls, with the edge down, on a dinner plate and chill.
After chilling, they will stay rolled. Cut slices, about 1" thick, and arrange so that you can see the pretty pinwheel effect.
Ah…a sweet treat idea:
Fondue pot, one that you can use chocolate in. (needs to be glass or an enamel type)
Melt your favorite chocolate (preferably a semi-sweet, not milk chocolate) in the fondue pot. If you want, throw in some caramels too.
Slice up some fruit – whatever you can find, place next to the pot with toothpicks for your guests to dip the fruit in.
You can use a microwave safe bowl and reheat as the chocolate sets up but it is recommended if you have a way to keep it warm, if possible.
And here’s another fun one:
Taffy Apple Pizza
[ul]
[li]1 - 20 ounce roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough[/li][li]1/4 cup all purpose flour[/li][li]2 - 3 oz package cheam cheese,softened[/li][li]1/3 cup peanut butter[/li][li]1/4 cup packed brown sugar[/li][li]1/2 tsp vanilla[/li][li]1 medium apple cored and thinly sliced[/li][li]lemon juice[/li][li]1/4 tsp ground cinnamon[/li][li]1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping[/li][li]1/2 cup chopped peanuts[/li][/ul]
-
For crust, in a large mixing bowl, knead together cookie dough and flour. Place dough in a greased 12 - 13" pizza pan; press from center to edges forming a crust. Bake in a 375ºF oven about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a baking rack.
-
For topping, in a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, peanut butter, brown sugar and vanilla; beat on medium speed until combined. Spread onto cooled crust. (if you want, cover and chill overnight.)
-
Before serving, brush apple slices with lemon juice. Arrange slices around the the top of the peanut butter mixture in a circular pattern. Drizzle with carmel topping, sprinkle with peanuts. Cut into wedges, like a pizza and serve.
10-12 servings
Ok, you want easy? I’ll give you easy:)
These are my two favorite snack type thingies.
-
clam dip: cream cheese, a can of minced clams (juice reserved), some sour cream to smooth the cheese. Perhaps a little chopped green onion but I don’t add it. Mix, add clam juice as needed, chill and serve.
-
Taco dip: velveeta mexican and Hormel no bean chili, mix, microwave and serve…this is like crack for me.
Two of my top faves and soo easy
Another cream cheese spread
Pour a can of crushed pinapple (I usually drain it a bit) over a 16oz cream cheese. Serve with Wheat Thins.
Quick and Easy Meatballs
2 lbs. ground chuck
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 large onion
Salt, to taste
1 12-oz. bottle chili sauce
1 10-oz. jar grape jelly
Juice of 1 lemonMix first 4 ingredients and roll into balls about size of walnuts (makes 50). Drop into sauce ingredients and simmer until meat balls are brown. Serve hot with toothpicks handy for quick pick up. Chafing dish is ideal.
Tortilla Pinwheels
24 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces sour cream
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon picante sauce or salsa
6 green onions
1 jalapeno pepper
20 flour tortillas
picante sauce or salsa for dipping
Soften cream cheese slightly and blend well with sour cream. Finely chop the scallions and jalapeno pepper, and blend into the cream cheese along with the lemon juice and picante sauce. Warm the tortillas slightly just to make them pliable (the microwave works fine). Spread the cheese mixture on each tortilla and roll up tightly. Place on a plate and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Chill overnight or until cheese mixture is firm. Slice into 1/2" pieces and serve with additional salsa for dipping.
Spicy Sweet Bread Sticks
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground red cayenne pepper
10 slices of bacon
10 crispy breadsticks
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the brown sugar and pepper on a flat plate. Wrap each slice of bacon around a breadstick, spiraling it so that it almost covers the whole stick. Roll the bacon-wrapped breadstick in the brown sugar mixture until coated. Place on a a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until browned. Allow the breadsticks to cool slightly so that the bacon crisps up. Serve immediately.
EnjoyGrilled vegetables
Slice up some peppers, onions, zucchini, eggplant, that sort of thing.
Stick them under the broiler or on a stovetop grill pan or one of those George Foreman thingies (lookit me using the proper American words for kitcheny things). Put black pepper and a little salt on top. Dribble some oil on them if you feel like it. You could also roast them in the oven.
When done, put them in a bowl with olive oil, finely chopped garlic, more black pepper and some lemon juice. A dab of hot chili sauce might be nice, too.
Vietnamese style chicken salad
Cooked chicken, a little vegetable oil, pineapple chunks, garlic and plenty of cilantro. Probably salt and pepper as well - long time since I’ve made it. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. That’s it.
Prawn and apricot filo wraps (slightly “fancy”)
Now, I should let you know that I’m shit at remembering quantities. I’d say on a guess, give about twice as much prawn as onion, two cloves garlic and one small nubbin of ginger per onion, half to one teaspoon of cumin seed per onion. More or less. I made it up as I went along when I first cooked it, you see.
Make the stuffing. Fry chopped onion and finely chopped ginger (tip - use food processor to mince the onion and garlic really fine) til soft (or til golden brown if you’re feeling patient), then add garlic and whole cumin seeds and fry a little more. Add some chopped no soak apricots and some water (or chicken or veg stock). Stew for about 15-20 minutes. Defrost some frozen prawns and chuck them in. You want the stuffing to be a nice thick consistency.
Make the parcels. Get your filo pastry out and defrosted. Keep the bits not using under a damp cloth. Cut the filo into long thirds, or long quarters foor eenie weenie parcels. Brush the filo strip with melted butter. Pop a dollop of stuffing at the top corner of the pastry and fold the corner over. Keep folding triangles over, and you’ll have yourself a nice triangle shaped parcel.
Put the parcels on a baking sheet and bake in a medium oven until golden, about 20 minutes, I should reckon.
Lamb burgers (Maybe more of a lunch, quick supper dish)
Burger mix: 1lb ground lamb; 2 small onions; two cloves garlic; handul of mint; two slices of bread; an egg; salt and pepper; a teaspoonful of harissa/a dab of hot sauce.
Whiz onions, garlic, mint, bread and egg in food processor. Stir into ground lamb, along with salt, pepper and harissa/hot sauce. Cover and put in fridge to firm up (or not, depends how full your fridge is)
Topping: Fried sliced leeks. Careful, don’t let them burn. These can be reheated in the microwave prior to serving, so do these any time.
Make little burgers, dust with flour and grill or fry. Serve in little rustic style bread buns (you know the ones I mean - the bread that looks like a cowpat) with the fried leek and a dab of mustard. Serve with BEER. It is so important that this dish be served with beer (any beer, I don’t care). My partner drinks milk with it, but he is a vile beverage pervert.
Eggplant dip (except you don’t like eggplant, do you?)
Anyway. If you have a gas stove, set four eggplants on fire directly on the burners. If not, cut them in long halves and use the broiler. When the skins are black and the flesh is soft, peel them, and mash them with a fork (They will be hot. This is because they have been on fire). If you find, as I so often do, that the flesh isn’t soft all the way through, simply swear, and finish off the cooking in the microwave. Carry on mashing. Mix in the juice of a lemon, half a cup of extra virgin olive oil (or as much as you think you want, because you know damn well I’m guessing quantities) and a cup of Greek yoghurt. Mash up some more, or stick it in a blender. Serve with hot pittas, or alongside other dips.
Eggplant fritters (Look, I like eggplant, OK)
Slice eggplant into rounds. Make batter from flour and beer. Better should be thick cream consistency. Dip eggplant slices into batter. Fry, either in deep fat, or in a frying pan - just in more oil than you’d normally use.
Drain on kitchen paper, salt and serve. Melt-in-the mouth goodness. They’d go nicely with Greek yoghurt, or a cool cream cheese based dip.
And then there’s pork souvlaki, lamb shish kebabs, and all sorts of food on sticks.
Also, how about some totally minimal things - sliced feta cheese with olive oil and oregano on top, olives in a dish, tiny squares of toast spread with something and with something else on top, green leaf salad with quarters of warm hardboiled egg in it and crispy bacon pieces on top