Christmas Day Cocktail Party?

Question

I'm having a Christmas day (5pm) Open House for about 15-20 people. I'll be serving wine, beer, vodka cocktails, and the question is: what kind of hors d'ouerves should I serve? I don't have a big budget, but I'd like to do something classier than cheese and crackers! The crowd is aged 45-60. Thanks!

Answer 1

Sweet and Sassy Meatballs
64 meatballs
Start to Finish: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 16-ounce can jellied cranberry sauce
1 18-ounce bottle barbecue sauce
2 1-pound packages frozen cooked meatballs, thawed (32 per pound)

Directions
1. For sauce, in a large skillet stir together cranberry sauce and barbecue sauce. Cook over medium heat until cranberry sauce is melted, stirring occasionally.

2. Add meatballs to sauce. Cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately or keep meatballs warm in a slow cooker on low setting to serve. Makes 16 servings.

3. Make-ahead directions: Prepare as directed in Step 1. Stir in frozen or thawed meatballs. Place in an airtight container. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. To serve, heat meatballs and sauce in a large skillet over medium heat until heated through, stirring occasionally.

4. Chipotle-Sauced Meatballs: Prepare as above, except substitute one 12-ounce bottle chili sauce for the barbecue sauce and stir in 3 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.

5. Hawaiian-Sauced Meatballs: Prepare sauce as above, except substitute one 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained, for the cranberry sauce.
**************************************...

Cranberry-Barbecue Meatballs
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 4 hours on low; 2 hours on high

Ingredients
2 16-ounce packages frozen cooked plain meatballs, thawed (32 meatballs each)
1 16-ounce can jellied cranberry sauce
1 cup barbecue sauce

Directions
1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker place meatballs. In a medium bowl combine cranberry sauce and barbecue sauce. Pour over meatballs in cooker; stir to coat.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Serve meatballs with toothpicks. If desired, keep warm on low-heat setting for up to 2 hours.

3. Makes 64 meatballs

4. Cranberry-Chipotle Meatballs: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce to the cranberry-barbeque sauce mixture.
**************************************...

Sweet, Hot, and Sour Meatballs
24 servings (48 meatballs)
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup apple jelly
1/3 cup spicy brown mustard
1/3 cup whiskey or apple juice
1-1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Few dashes bottled hot pepper sauce

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine egg product, bread crumbs, onion, milk, salt, and pepper. Add sausage and beef; mix well. Shape into 48 meatballs. Place meatballs in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree F oven about 30 minutes or until done (160 degree F). Remove from oven; drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan stir together jelly, mustard, whiskey, Worcestershire sauce, and bottled hot pepper sauce. Heat and stir until jelly melts and mixture bubbles. Add meatballs, stirring gently to coat. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly and meatballs are coated. Makes 24 servings (48 meatballs).

To Tote: Transfer meatballs and sauce to a serving dish; cover tightly. Transport in an insulated carrier.

5. Mexi-Meatballs: Substitute one 16-ounce jar of salsa and one 10-ounce can of enchilada sauce for the cranberry sauce and barbecue sauce.

6. Saucepan variation: In a large saucepan combine thawed meatballs and desired sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
********************************************************************

Serve the following with chips or crackers:

Mango Salsa
2 cups
Ingredients
1 mango, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 medium red sweet pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 Scotch bonnet or hot green chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
1. In medium bowl stir together mango, sweet pepper, green onions, chile pepper, oil, lime peel, lime juice, vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Store in refrigerator up to 24 hours. Makes 2 cups.
**************************************...

Mango Salsa
about 2 cups
Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 2 hours

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups chopped, peeled mango, papaya, peaches, plums, and/or pineapple
1/2 cup chopped red or green sweet pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (2)
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoons lime juice or lemon juice
1 to 2 fresh jalapeno or serrano peppers, seeded and finely chopped, or 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Anaheim pepper

Directions
1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together fruit, sweet pepper, green onions, cilantro or parsley, lime juice or lemon juice, and jalapeno, serrano, or Anaheim pepper. Cover; chill at least 2 hours before serving.

2. Serve as a dip for chips or fresh vegetables or as a condiment for tacos, quesadillas, burgers, steaks, chicken, or fish. Makes about 2 cups.

Make-Ahead Tip: Spoon the salsa into a storage container. Cover and chill for up to 2 days.
**************************************...

Papaya Salsa

Ingredients
1/2 of a small papaya, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 small nectarine, pitted and chopped
1 hot red or jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon snipped cilantro or parsley
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon honey

In a bowl stir together the papaya, nectarine, hot red or jalapeno pepper, cilantro or parsley, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and 1 teaspoon honey. Cover and chill thoroughly.
**************************************...

Chunky Guacamole
Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 1 hour

Ingredients
2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 of a small red onion, finely chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 ripe avocados, seeded, peeled, and coarsely mashed
Tortilla chips

Directions
1. In a bowl combine tomatoes, red onion, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Gently stir in avacados. Cover the surface with plastic wrap. Chill for up to 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

2. Makes 2 cups (sixteen 2-tablespoon servings

Answer 2

Those mini quiches are always great they come in frozen and all you do is heat up.

I know you said you didn't want cheese but something to spice it up would be if you got cream cheese just put a that on a plate then over top pour red pepper jelly serve with crackers and it's also a little different then your standard cheese ball.

Bruschetta

Answer 3

These recipes take no time at all to prepare. Double or triple the recipes to accommodate your guests if necessary.

COCKTAIL WIENERS

1/2 c. minced onion
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. catsup
1 tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 pkg. wieners

Cut each weiner into about 1” pieces. Combine onion and butter in a 1-1/2 quart micro-proof casserole dish. Cover and cook on saute 3 minutes (or until onion is transparent). Add 1/4 cup water and stir in remaining ingredients, except the wieners. Cover and cook on high for 2-1/2 minutes. Stir in cocktail wieners. Cover and cook on high for 4 minutes. Let stand, covered for 2 minutes. Serve with toothpicks on the side so the guests can serve themselves.

DEVILED EGGS

1 dozen eggs
1-2 tbsp. mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1 tsp. mustard
Dash salt
Dash pepper
Dash paprika

Boil eggs 6-7 minutes. Drain off water. Set aside and allow to cool. When eggs have cooled, peel and slice in half lengthways. With a spoon, remove the yolks and place into bow. Add the remaining ingredients except the paprika. Mix with a fork until desired consistency is reached. Stuff the hollows of the eggs with the mixture and sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate until chilled. Makes 24 deviled eggs.

CURRIED OLIVE APPETIZER

1 (4-1/2 oz.) can chopped ripe olives
1/4 c. diced green onions
1/4 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 pinch
Curry powder
1 loaf French bread, sliced
Minced parsley

Mix together the olives, onion, cheese, mayonnaise, salt and curry powder. Under broiler, toast the bread slices lightly on one side only. Spread on the un-toasted side of French bread slices with the olive mixture and broil until bubbly. Sprinkle with minced parsley.

Happy Christmas Day!

Answer 4

Long Island Tea 1/2 jigger vodka 1/2 jigger light rum 1/2 jigger gin 1/2 jigger tequila 1/2 jigger sugar syrup (optional) juice of 1/2 lemons 1 splash cola Combine all ingredients (except cola) and pour over ice in a highball glass. Add the splash of cola for color. Decorate with a slice of lemon and serve. Cherry Chocolate Milk Royal Cherry Chocolate Milk Royal was contributed and created by Aaron Turpin on Christmas Eve several years ago, from a limited ingredient list. It tastes just like regular chocolate milk only better. 4 oz vodka 12 oz ice cold milk 3 tbsp Hershey's® chocolate syrup 4 maraschino cherry with stems 1/2 - 1 oz whipped cream 1 tsp chocolate sprinkles 2 tbsp maraschino cherry juice In a large, milkshake-shape glass (16-oz+), pour the vodka, cherry juice, 3 cherries, chocolate syrup and cold milk. Stir the mixture carefully with a chopstick being careful not to spill until the syrup has dissolved. Add a flexible straw. Top with whipped cream from a can. Garnish with chocolate sprinkles and one of the cherries, and serve immediately Mango Margarita 2 oz tequila 1/2 oz triple sec 6 oz fresh mango juice with pulp Combine in blender with about half a cup of crushed ice. Grind only to broken/crushed state. Pour into a margarita glass. Garnish with lime and/or mango slice, and serve. Shirley G's Punch of Happiness 750 ml white rum 250 ml vodka 1 gal of combined pineapple, orange and mango fruit juice lots of ice cubes Pour ingredients into large pot, stir, serve. As punch disappears continue to add more rum.

Answer 5

ask everyone to bring an hors d'ourves to pass, (if they want) i make this great healthy dip

Avocado black bean dip
5 avocados diced
1/2 cup lime juice
put avocados in lime juice immediatley after dicing to keep them from turning brown
1 red onion diced
1 can black beans drained
1 can corn drained
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
1/4 cup jarred jalepenos drained and chopped

mix all ingredients and chill for at least 2 hours before serving
stir well before stirring adding more lime juice as needed
serve with tortilla chips!!!

Answer 6

Sweet & Sour Kielbasa; cut up kielbasa add jelly & BBQ sauce in a crockpot. Sweet & Sour Meatballs; add jelly & ketchup and cook/simmer in crockpot. An antipasto platter. Stuffed mushrooms. Pepperoni & Cheese bread or Meat and cheese of choice (ham, turkey, etc.) Hot or cold bread bowl dip (hollowed out pumpernickle, rye, etc.) with spinach, veggie, shrimp dip. A platter of mini salad sandwiches (tuna, chicken, ham, etc.)

Answer 7

How about lightening up on all that booze first off. The last thing we need are 45-60 drunks on the road.

There are many fun things you can make that aren't expensive but nice o'duerves, just check out Sunset Magazine or Martha Stewart's websites.

Answer 8

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BIG BUDGET KEEP THE DRINKS SIMPLE, WINE AND BEER,MAKES THINGS LESS COMPLEX,THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU CAN SERVE WHICH IS PRETTY NICE WITHOUT BEING EXPENSIVE1. BUY PHYLLO AND MAKE 2 KINDS OF STUFFING,MAKE HALF WITH CHEESE AND THE OTHER WITH GROUND BEEF, YOU CAN BAKE AND SLICE WARM,ALSO GOOD IS A TAPANADE OF BLACK OLIVES WITH CRACKERS, MAKE A WARM CRAB DIP WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE, AND SERVE WITH BREAD OR CHIPS,MAKE A FONDUE OF CHOCOLATE FOR DESSERT,WITH PIECES OF FRUITS, NAMASTE,