Does anyone have a good recipe for an appetizer or sweet for a Christmas cocktail party?

Question

I'm looking for something easy and good to take to a party. I won't have a lot of time to prepare it. Any ideas?

Answer 1

BACON AND TWO ONION CHEESECAKE:
6 slices bacon,cooked - (diced )
1 large sweet onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (minced)
2 cups (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 eggs
2 green onions (thinly sliced)
Assorted Crackers for serving
Cook bacon until crisp in large skillet; remove to paper towels. When cool, dice into small pieces. Cook sweet onion and garlic in drippings until tender. Drain in strainer; discard bacon drippings. In bowl combine ricotta cheese, half-and-half, flour, salt and cayenne pepper; beat until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time; beat until smooth. Reserve 3 tablespoons bacon for garnish. Stir remaining bacon, sweet onion, garlic and green onions into ricotta mixture. Lightly grease sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch springform pan; pour batter into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until set. Remove to wire cooling rack; cool to room temperature. Garnish with reserved bacon. Serve with assorted crackers,

Substitution: Vidalia-type sweet onions are particularly good in this recipe. If sweet onions are unavailable in your area, simply substitute yellow onions.
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The Pinecone Dip You make a day in advance:

SUE's ALMOND PINECONE DIP:
1 1/4 cups whole natural almonds
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise
5 crisply cooked bacon slices, crumbled
1 Tablespoon chopped green onion
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Assorted Crackers for serving
Spread almonds in a single layer in shallow pan or cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring often, until almonds just begin to turn color. Combine softened cream cheese and mayonnaise; mix well. Add bacon, onion, dill and pepper; mix well. Cover and chill overnight. Form cheese mixture into shape of pinecone on serving platter. Beginning at narrow end, press almonds at a slight angle into cheese mixture in rows. Continue overlapping rows until all cheese is covered. Garnish with artificial or real pine sprigs that have been cleaned. Serve with assorted crackers.
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Christmas Appetizer Recipes
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/christmasapp/index.htm
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/christmasapp/appetizer-recipes.htm

Answer 2

These are quick and easy and taste great :

Roasted Red Pepper Tarts

Ingredients

vegan puff pastry
red pepper
sun dried tomato paste

Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees.

Grease a baking sheet. Roll out the pastry and cut out with a pastry cutter. Spread with a thin layer of sun-dried tomato paste and top with thick slices of the pepper.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the pastry has risen.

Answer 3

Here are some:

Ridiculously easy:
7 LAYER DIP
(not very innovative, but everyone loves it)
Refried beans, sour cream, cheese, black olives, green onions,salsa and guacamole. Layer it in a flat dish. Serve with tortilla chips.

Pretty easy:
PICKLED SHRIMP
(unusual and delicious)
Buy a bag of frozen, peeled & deveined shrimp, already cooked.
Put in a big ziplock bag with:
Pickling spice
Sliced red onion rings
Capers
Lemon juice
Salt & pepper
Olive oil

Marinate overnight, shaking the ziplock bag a couple times to mix it up. You can transport it to the party in the bag, and transfer to a pretty glass bowl. If you're feeling especially festive, garnish with thinly sliced lemon or line a clear bowl with lemon slices before putting the shimp in it.

Easy, but needs to be served warm:
STUFFED MUSHROOMS
(also fairly common but everyone goes nuts for them)
Take the caps off the mushrooms (they pop out) and chop them up.
Saute in butter with garlic and green onions
I usually add some white wine
Turn off heat and stir in grated parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs (mixture should be pretty thick & absorb all of the liquid.
Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Place all the mushroom caps in the dish and stuff with with mixture. Top with more cheese if you want. Bake at 350 until the mushrooms are tender.

You can make these the night before and take unbaked to the party & pop them in the oven there.

Answer 4

Go to the Kraft Foods web site and look for their 'Stove Top spinach balls'. Quick to make, healthy and can be served hot or cold with any dipping sauce.They can also be frozen and heated again. Sorry I don't have the recipe on hand, but check out Rachel Ray's Five minute fudge. Ridiculously easy and fun for the holidays:

1 12oz bag chocolat chips
1 12 oz bag butterscotch chips
1 can Eagle Brand (or other) condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large sauce pot over low heat, melt chocolat and butterscoth chips with condensed milk and vanilla. Add any optional ingredients. Place in cake tin or cake wreath and chill in fridge for 30-45 minutes.

Answer 5

Quiche Lorraine

1 unbaked pie crust
12 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup minced onion
4 whole eggs
2 cups whipping cream or half and half
3/4 t salt
1/4 t sugar
1/8 t cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onion evenly in pie crust. Beat remaining ingredients together. Pour over onion, bacon and cheese. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, reduce temperature to 300 and bake 30 minutes longer. Let stand 5 - 10 minutes before cutting.

Answer 6

This recipe is prepared the night before...

"Noel Salmon Cheesecake" - 16 servings

1/2 cup pumpernickel bread crumbs
4 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese; softened
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 eggs; lightly beaten
8 oz. smoked salmon; chopped
1/3 cup chopped green onions (scallions)
Assorted crackers

Grease bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan. Sprinkle crumbs into pan, coating bottom and sides; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy; beat in cream and pepper. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in salmon and onions.
Wrap a double thickness of heavy-duty foil around bottom of prepared pan. Pour salmon mixture into pan. Place in a large baking pan; fill larger pan with hot water to a depth of 1 1/2". Bake at 325* for 45-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour (cheesecake may crack while cooling). Refrigerate overnight. Remove foil and sides of pan. Serve cheesecake with crackers.

Answer 7

1.The little cocktail weenies with chili sauce and a small jar of grape jelly makes for good eating. Fast, easy and always a hit.
2. cheese platter w/ crackers
3. shrimp and cream cheese stuffed in cherry tomatoes
4. A brick of cream cheese with fresh shrimp and cocktail sauce over top served with crackers is also a big hit.
Hope these help!

Answer 8

Go to the store and buy a 8 oz package of cream cheese, a small can of crab meat and some chili sauce. Unwrap cream cheese put on plate. Drain can of crab meat and put the meat on top of the cream cheese. Then pour enough chili sauce over the crab meat to make it look good. With a knife put on favorite cracker (like Ritz). There will not be any left.

Answer 9

This is called "Angels on Horseback"


Take a waterchestnut, a smoked can oyster and wrap in a piece of bacon , then put a toothpick through it and deep fry it until the bacon is cooked. Make a bunch of them and place on a platter and decorate with parsley. They are absolutely delicious and easy to make, and the name is fabulous!

Answer 10

Here is a good thing we always have: 3 pks. cream cheese softened., Three bunches of green onions with just the green parts chopped up, one pound of deli sliced ham chopped up real small. Mix everything together and form in ball. Serve with Wheat Thins. Whats left over is real good on bagels.