Help! What would be some good appetizers for a police department christmas party?

Question

I am hosting my husband's PD Christmas Party and dont have any idea what to make. I've never hosted a party before and I need something quick, easy and cheap. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Wings, Meatballs, 7 layer dip, hummus w/ pita, veggies w/ dip, fruit w/ dip, pumpkin roll, bbq cups, finger sandwiches, mini quiches, cookies, cheese & crackers, salads (3 bean, green bean, tomato, etc...), good luck.

Heavenly Fruit Dip

1 c. pineapple juice
½ c sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 c. Cool Whip (8oz.)
2 T flour

Combine first 4 ingredients in a saucepan and cook until smooth and thick. Cool completely, then fold into Cool Whip. Chill. Use any type of fruit for dipping.



Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs
1 t. baking powder
1 c. sugar
2 t. cinnamon
2/3 c. pumpkin
1 t. ginger
1 t. lemon juice
½ t. nutmeg
¾ c. flour
½ t. salt

Filling:
1 c. confectioners sugar
½ t. vanilla
4 t. margarine, soft
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)
6 oz. soft cream cheese

Beat eggs on high for 5 minutes; gradually add sugar, pumpkin and lemon juice. Sift 3 times: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Add the egg mixture, blend carefully. Do not beat. Pour into a greased and floured 15x10x1 inch pan. Sprinkle with 1 cup chopped nuts on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes on 375 deg. Remove from oven and let set 10 minutes. Sprinkle a small towel with confectioner’s sugar. Turn cake onto towel. Roll towel and cake, let stand 10 minutes.
Filling: Beat 2 minutes on medium speed, confectioner’s sugar, margarine, soft cream cheese, and vanilla. Unroll cake and spread on top of cake, reroll cake and filling and refrigerate. Slice in ½ to 1 inch slices. Serve chilled.




BAR-BE-CUPS

¾ lb. hamburger
1 (8 oz) can refrigerator biscuits
½ c. barbecue sauce
½ c. shredded American or Cheddar cheese
1 T. instant minced onion

Brown hamburger and drain. Add barbecue sauce and onion. Set aside. Place 1 biscuit in each ungreased muffin cup. Press dough up the sides to the edge of the cup. Spoon meat mixture into cups. Sprinkle with cheese. Bate at 400 deg for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Answer 2

Gougeres

4 tablespoos butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoons salt
2 pinches of red pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon of baking powder
3/4 cup grated Gruyere
3 tablespoons Gorgenzola
3 eggs

Preheat the over to 400 F. Put the butter, 1/4 cup milk, water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the red pepper in a 2-quart saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then add the flour and baking powder. Remove from heat. Stir well with a wood spoon while addubg 3/4 cup of the cheese for about 2 minutes.

Add the eggs 1 at a time. Continue to mix the dough for ten minutes.

Spray 2 baking sheets with Pam. (Make sure that the pans have a lip so that the milk doesn't run off the pan and make a mess at the bottom of your oven.)

Roll the dough into 1/2 inch to 1 inch balls. Each tray should fit about 28 gougeres.

Brush the top of each gougere with the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk and sprinkle with the gorganzola cheese and some sea salt.

Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Turn the trays around and continue to bake for 7 minutes more. Serve hot from the oven or reheat in a 400 F oven for 2.5 minutes.

Answer 3

The catering company I worked for last year hosted the local Police Departments Christmas party.

There was a LOT of alcohol consumed. I'm assuming there were also a lot of designated drivers. Great group actually. Very appreciative to the servers.

Anyway,

Cheese and crackers.
Veggie tray with dip.
Cocktail weinies in BBQ sauce.
Meatballs in sweet and sour sauce.
Assorted pastries.

AND BEER.

Very basic. And I assumed it was not a dinner party, which would change the menu entirely.

If you have some favorite dips or appetizers, serve them. But you sound inexperienced, so keep it simple.

Peace.

Answer 4

Crabbies! If you've never had these, you don't know what your missing. Everybody RAVES about these and they can be done way ahead of time!

1 can of crab meet, same size as Tuna can
1 (5-ounce) jar Cheddar-horseradish spread (recommended: Kraft Old English)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
Dash hot sauce or cayenne pepper
6 English Muffins



In a large bowl, combine crab, cheese spread, mayonnaise, garlic powder, butter and hot sauce. Divide mixture evenly over each English Muffin half. Put on cookie sheet and freeze for an hour. Cut the rounds into quarters and bake now or freeze in ziplock bag until you want them.

Bake at 425 until topping is heated through and golden brown on top, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Answer 5

Here's what too look for:
Finger food
Each piece a couple bits
Simple
Cheap

Here's what I do:
Get a couple things of Pillsbury croissants. Lay them flat on a cookie sheet put cheese, bacon, or some type of lunch meat on the top wider part. Then roll them. Should be able to wrap around itself once maybe twice. Then follow the instructions to bake. These are a big hit at every pot luck or even I go to.

Answer 6

veggies and dip, some thing with meat in it like little weenies or meatballs, taco dip and chips, cheese and sausage, cheese ball and crackers, pizza cut into appetizer sized pieces would be good also, deviled eggs
do all your shopping at Aldi, you'll save a lot of money right there. they also have some appetizers in their frozen section that are really good like taquitos and egg rolls. just make sure to have foods from all areas of the food groups. make something sweet too
heres a great recipe for something sweet, quick and cheap

oven 350
while oven is preheating melt one stick butter in cake pan
one pkg graham crackers (smashed into crumbs) pour over butter and spread on bottom of pan
then layer ingredients like choc chips, chopped nuts, coconut, raisins, butterscotch chips - whatever you have on hand, I just use hand fulls at a time until it's all covered
then pour one can of sweetened condensed milk over the top (get it all out and try to get it to cover the whole thing)
then bake for about 24 minutes till brown, let it cool completely before cutting into squares

Answer 7

An Assortment of Krispy Cream Donuts served with Dunkin Donuts Coffee.

Answer 8

meatballs kept warm in beef broth with a trio of dipping sauces to choose from: sweet-n-sour, blue cheese and spaghetti sauce, cream cheese mixed with Parmesan cheese and black pepper molded in a Saran wrapped lines bowl fill with purchased basil pesto and top with sun dried tomato pesto after you chill it & unmold it . Serve with crackers and breads. Spinach dip with bread and shrimp cocktail. pasta salad with Christmasy colors such as green & red bell peppers & artichoke hearts with lemon salad dressing or Italian. Italian sausages cooked with peppers and a tomato sauce cut into bite sized pieces and served with rolls. You can add some cheese and bake these little goodies too. "Hero" sandwiches cut into smaller portions. Chili with corn muffins. Go to a big box store like Costco or an industrial food supply store like Smart and Final or Cash & Carry for larger sized containers you'll save a lot of $$$ that way. Try to choose a menu that allows you to make things ahead of time so you aren't frazzled and take into consideration how much room you have in your oven and on your stove when you are putting your menu together.

Answer 9

CRESCENT ROLL/VEGGIE HORS D’OEUVRES

1 Pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1 Pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Powder
2 refrigerator Crescent Roll tubes
Assorted veggies – broc, cauli, olives, red or green bell peppers…whatever you like.

Spread out crescent rolls flat on a cookie sheet and bake per package instructions.

Mix cream cheese & dressing well. Spread mixture on cooled rolls. Chop veggies and sprinkle on rolls. Ct to desired size.

Answer 10

The one thing that never seems to go out of style- Develed Eggs. And how about ham rollups. That is my limit too many other good suggestions for others on yahoo.