appetizer help?

Question

going to a dinner party Sat night-was asked to bring an appetizer for 14. I need something easy but immpressive for a classy crowd- no dips or anything that needs to be served right out of the oven/grill. Thanks!

Answer 1

To impress people at the dinner party serve crackers, manchego cheese, dried apricots and figs. Trader Joes has this container of small figs that is wonderful (the small black figs are great).

Or mix a jar of pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes pour over cream cheese. Serve with crackers. You can also add pine nuts as garnish.

Prosciutto purses, cut up bite sized cantalope and wrap prosciutto around it tightly.

If you can get to a toaster oven, cut up a baguette brush lightly with olive oil and toast. Place crumbled gorgonzola on top with a drizzle of honey heat till slightly melted... to die for!

Enjoy!

Answer 2

Mediterranean Bruschetta Recipe

Saw on TV

For the bread:
1 pound ciabatta bread loaf, cut into 1/2-inch wide slices (about 16)
1/4 cup olive oil
1lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the topping:
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the bread:
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the bread slices with olive oil. Grill the bread until golden on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the bread, and squeeze the lemon juice over the bread slices. Sprinkle the bread slices with dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
For the topping:
In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, tomatoes, 3 tablespoons mint, salt, and pepper. Gently stir to combine.

To serve, either spoon the cheese topping over the bread and sprinkle more chopped mint over the bruschetta for garnish, or place the cheese topping in a bowl and serve with the grilled bread alongside.

Should be easy and definetly a classy dish!

Answer 3

buschetta ala dipace


place a small piece of day old bread at the bottom of a bowl.

chop up 3 vine ripe tomatoes
chiffon a bunch (read: hand full) of basil
chop up 1 small block (or ball) of smoked mozzarella
chop up half of a large purple onion

mix these ingredients in a bowl, over the bread.
add 1/2 the juice of a lemon
drizzle in 3 tbsp of olive oil
top with cracked pepper, toss and cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

when you get to the party remove the bread from the bottom of the bowl. serve with a sliced baguette.

(the old bread at the bottom of the bowl catches any extra juices the tomato lets off and keeps this salad from becoming too wet)

Answer 4

One of my standby's are caprese skewers. Get some fancy toothpicks, sweet 100's tomatoes (smaller than cherry tomatoes), small fresh mozzarella balls (sometimes in the italian section or in the bins near olives, etc.) . You'll also need olive oil and garlic, salt and pepper and fresh basil.

toss the mozzarella in a few drizzles of olive oil. Add one clove of garlic minced, a little salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Cut or rip basil leaves into smaller pieces. Then skewer 1. Mozzarella 2. basil piece and 3. tomato

These are always a hit and they look beautiful on the plate.

Or you could do an antipasti platter with procuitto, olives, roasted red peppers, chesses, marinated artichoke hearts, etc. Then all you have to do is open a few jars!

Answer 5

Mini Quiches - variety pack. Just keep them 'warm' and they will go fast! They don't have to be served right out of the oven - cook at your house and transport - even if they cool down they are still yummy. If you have a Cosco or something similar, they have a large variety pack for about $10.

Answer 6

ASPARAGUS ROLL-UPS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Yields: 10 servings

"These roll-ups are simply divine. A friend shared the recipe after serving them at a church brunch, where they disappeared fast. They make a unique finger food, a side dish at supper or a lovely lunch served with soup." INGREDIENTS:
16 fresh asparagus spears
16 slices sandwich bread, crusts removed
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Place asparagus in a skillet with a small amount of water; cook until crisp and tender, about 6-8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Flatten bread with a rolling pin. Combine the cream cheese, bacon and chives; spread 1 tablespoonful on each slice of bread. Top with an asparagus spear. Roll up tightly; place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Brush with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cut roll-ups in half. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Answer 7

Make this dip and then spread on half of a mini bagel so they are all ready when you bring them to the party.

Mozzarella Cheese Dip

• small jar of Hellmann's mayo
• 8 oz sour cream
• 3 c shredded mozz. cheese
• 1 tsp of accent
• 1Tbl of parsley flakes
• 1 tsp of celery salt
• 1 tsp of garlic salt
• 1 tsp of sugar

Answer 8

Smoked Mozzarella and Sun-dried Tomato Cigars
6 sheets phyllo dough
4 tablespoon butter, melted
8 ounces smoked mozzarella, sliced 1/4-inch thick
8 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Prosecco
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups field greens


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Lay a sheet of phyllo dough on a clean dry work surface. Use a pastry brush to brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter. Fold the phyllo sheet in half lengthwise, resulting in a 12 by 8-inch rectangle. Brush the top of the phyllo with melted butter. Place a few slices of smoked mozzarella at a narrow end of the phyllo rectangle, leaving 1-inch on each side. Top the cheese with a few pieces of sun-dried tomatoes. Carefully roll up the phyllo dough into a cigar shape starting with the cheese and tomato end. About half way through the rolling, tuck in the 1-inch ends of the phyllo dough, and continue rolling. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet, seam side down, and brush the top with butter. Continue rolling the 5 remaining cigars. Bake until golden, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small ball jar or in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid combine the extra-virgin olive oil, Proseco, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Shake well. Toss the Proseco vinaigrette with the field greens. Place the dressed greens on a serving platter or on individual serving plates.

Slice the cigars into 2-inch pieces. Place atop the dressed field greens. Serve immediately. The baked cigars are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. The flavor is great. YUM!!
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Spinach Feta Triangles
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
8 sheets phyllo
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 stick butter, melted
Salt
Pepper

In a skillet melt butter and cook onion for about 3 minutes or until softened. Remove skillet from heat and stir in spinach, feta cheese and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay out one layer of phyllo dough and brush with butter. Top with another layer of dough and repeat with butter and a third layer of dough. With a sharp knife cut rectangle into 3 evenly sized pieces. Place a heaping tablespoon of the spinach mixture in lower left corner of one of the pieces and fold up as you would a flag--folding the lower corner up to form a triangle and continuing to fold up in the shape of a triangle. Place triangles on a baking sheet, at this point they can be frozen and then stored in an airtight container. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.

Answer 9

Meatballs, Chicken bacon bites, Egg rolls cut diagonally

Answer 10

mmmmmmm

slice up some tomatoes with basil
get a big hunk of fresh Mozzarella
and sliced ham or pepperoni...I am not sure where you are at but we do cappicola or proseccuti(sp) ham or soppresata Italian sausage

serve with a fabulous crusty bread...very simple very elegant