Appetizers to please all ages...?

Question

I'm responsible for bringing the appetizers for Thanksgiving. We have all ages from 4 years old to 75. I need a few ideas to please all palates. And nothing too heavy because we have a ton of food for the meal. Anyone know any good recipes?

Answer 1

Shrimp cocktails...

Answer 2

Black olives to put on one's fingers and eat are a must and great for little kids. Celery stuffed with pimento or pineapple cream cheese is a tradition. Deviled eggs can be inviting. Prawns with cocktail sauce are elegant and usually well received. Homemade cheese balls are usually a hit, along side of artisan crackers and sliced baguette. My favorites have a combination of cream cheese, cheddar and blue cheese and are rolled in nuts of some sort. Homemade clam dip is great, along with Spinach dip in a bread bowl. If there's a long time between snacks and dinner, consider having a hot artichoke dip with blue corn tortilla chips. A nibble of this, a nosh of that should do the trick!

Answer 3

You truly can't beat a beautiful shrimp cocktail. Don't scrimp and buy the little ones though.. With a homemade cocktail sauce (I like extra horseradish in mine). It's light and not filling. Happy Thanksgiving.

Answer 4

RYE RIBBON ROUND

2 (4 1/2 oz.) cans deviled ham
1 tsp. instant minced onion
1/4 c. chopped pitted ripe olives
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 oz. blue cheese
1 drop green food coloring
1 (7 3/4 oz.) can crab meat, drained and cartilage removed
1 (5 oz.) jar pasteurized Neufchatel cheese with pineapple
1/4 c. chopped celery
1 round loaf (2 lbs.) rye bread, about 8 inches in diameter, unsliced
3 (4 oz.) cartons whipped cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. slivered blanched almonds, toasted
1/2 c. sliced pitted ripe olives

Combine deviled ham, minced onion and chopped olives; cover. With electric mixer, blend cream cheese, blue cheese and green food coloring; cover. Flake the crab meat; stir in cheese with pineapple and the chopped celery; cover. Remove crust from loaf; cut horizontally into 4 slices.
Spread bottom slice with ham filling; top with second slice. Spread with blue cheese mixture; top with third slice. Spread with crab meat mixture; top with fourth slice. Cover loaf tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate several hours or overnight.

An hour before serving, frost loaf with whipped cream cheese. Press almonds and olives into cheese frosting around side and top of loaf. Refrigerate until serving time. Cut into wedges

Answer 5

taco dip and chips, veggie tray and dip, cheese and sausage, my family loves Polish sausage cut up with a pretzel stick in them (gone in minutes!) you can make this really easy shrimp dip- take one pkg cream cheese and spread it on a plate, top with one jar cocktail sauce and them make a pretty pattern of little shrimp all over the top of that, serve with crackers!

Answer 6

potato skins. They are little quarter slices of potato skins that are baked in the oven and have cheese and bacon bits on them. delicious. they are sold at sams club and costco i believe.

Answer 7

everybody loves pigs in blankets :)

Answer 8

perhaps mini quiches.
dips and antipasto are always easy.

Answer 9

Broccoli Cheese Squares

3 Tbsp. butter, melted
3 eggs
1 cup SR flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
2 (10 oz) frozen broccoli, cooked and drained
1 (8 oz) pkg shredded sharp cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
1/4 tsp. pepper

Pour Butter into 9x13 dish or pan. In a bowl beat eggs add milk then flour and salt/pepper. Mix in broccoli, onion and cheese.
Spoon into baking dish. Bake 350* for 30-35 mins...until starts to brown along edges. Allow to stand 5 minutes and cut into squares or triangles.

For a bridal shower 36 servings. (tiny squares)
Larger squares today for luncheon. Probably 12 servings..more or less according to how large your squares....
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This recipe makes 3 different flavors of cheese balls from one base mix! A cinch to do and a lot of variety!


**Three-in-One Cheese Ball**

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons minced onions
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Coarsely cracked pepper
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Minced fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Finely chopped pecan
Assorted cracker

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, cheddar cheese, milk, onion and Worcestershire sauce until fluffy. If a smoother spread is desired, process in a food processor until creamy. Divide into thirds (about 1 cup each).

Shape first portion into a ball; roll in cracked pepper.

Add the blue cheese to the second portion; mix well. Shape into a ball; roll in parsley.

Add garlic powder to the remaining portion; mix well. Shape into a ball; roll in nuts.

Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving time. Serve with crackers.
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Corn & Black Bean Dip

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white (shoepeg) corn, drained
Half cucumber, cut in tiny pieces
2 tomatoes, cubed
1 small purple onion, finely diced
1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 ¾ cups Ken’s Steakhouse Italian Dressing

Mix ingredients in large bowl. Pour in Italian dressing and mix well. Marinate in refrigerator overnight or at least for a few hours. Drain off excess dressing. Serve with Tostitos scoops.
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SPINACH - CHEESE PUFFS

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 c. milk
1/2 c. butter or 1 stick butter
1 tsp. salt
1 c. all-purpose flour
4 lg. eggs
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish with parsley

Drain spinach; squeeze dry with paper towels. In 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, heat milk, butter and salt, until butter melts and mixture boils. Remove saucepan from heat. With wooden spoon, vigorously stir in flour all at once until mixture forms a ball and leaves side of saucepan. Add eggs to flour mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is smooth and satiny. Stir in Swiss and Parmesan cheeses and spinach. If not baking right away, cover surface of mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets. Drop batter by level tablespoons onto cookie sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until cheese puffs are golden brown. Arrange appetizer and garnish on platter; serve immediately. Makes about 4 dozen cheese puffs.
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Mini Wonton Quiches

4 eggs
1 ounce finely chopped lean cooked ham
2 tablespoons chopped green onions with tops
2 tablespoons chopped sweet red bell pepper
1 tablespoon flour
cooking spray
24 3 1/4 x 3 inch wonton wrappers
sweet and sour sauce, optional
hot mustard, optional

In medium bowl, beat together eggs, ham, onions, pepper and flour until well blended. Set aside. Evenly coat 24 miniature muffin cups with spray. Gently press 1 wrapper into each cup, allowing ends to extend above edges of cup. Spoon about 1/2 Tbsp. egg mixture into each wrapper-lined cup. Bake in preheated 350ºF oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 12 - 15 minutes. Serve with sweet & sour sauce and/or mustard, if desired.
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Pesto Party Dip

Makes about 1 2/3 cups. Recipe is from Nestlé
.
1 (7-oz.) container refrigerated pesto with basil
4 ozs. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbls. grated Parmesan cheese
Assorted fresh vegetables, crackers or bread sticks

1. Place pesto, cream cheese, sour cream and Parmesan cheese in food processor or blender; cover. Process until mixture is creamy.
2. Serve with your choice of fresh veggies, crackers or bread sticks.