Try these easy to prepare appetizer recipes to serve at cocktail parties, receptions, game day parties or any special occasion of your choice.
For a cocktail party or any other type get together, with no food to follow, try to serve 6-12 different appetizers, but if dinner follows, I would limit pre dinner snacks, you don't want guests to fill up before dinner.
If you don't have a lot of spare time to prepare party treats, there are any number of ready-to-serve and pre-packaged choices available now. Visit the dairy section for already cubed cheese and dips, the produce section for pre-cut fruit and veges, the frozen food section has pizza rolls, chicken wings and meatmalls.
For those who do have time to dedicate to preparing home made and tasty treats for social occasions, below you will find many hot, cold and room temperature appetizers, great served at your next social occasion.
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Great served piping hot from the oven. They are always a tasty party appetizer that quickly disappear, so make plenty.
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 16 shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined
- 8 slices bacon
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 Tbs chopped sweet pickles
- 1 Tbs chopped pimento stuffed olives
- 1 1/2 tsp grated onion
- 1 Tbs. chili powder
- 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
Mix butter, chili powder and garlic together; dip shrimp.
Slice bacon in half and wrap each with shrimp; fasten with toothpicks or skewers.
Place on rack in broiler pan and broil 3 inches from source of heat, about 5 minutes. Served with chilled Chili Dip.
Chili Dip
Mix mayonnaise, sweet pickles, olives, onion, chili powder and egg. Chill and serve with bacon wrapped shrimp
Hot Crab Pickups
Hot Crab Pickups are an easy party appetizer recipe, served at any type of party. This recipe calls for imitation crabmeat and shrimp, but if you have the real thing, definitely use that.
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
- 1 (7.5-ounce) can crabmeat, drained
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 Tbs chili sauce
- 1 (4-ounce) can shrimp, drained
- Dash of Worcestershire
- 1 Tbs. chili powder
- 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
Put all in mixer; mix well. Spread on bread, then cut into finger sandwiches and serve.
Beef Cheese Ball
This cheese ball is quick and easy to prepare and there is no cooking involved. Always a big hit served with crackers of your choice.
- 2 pkg. smoked beef
- 6 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 tsp. Accent
- 2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Cut beef in small pieces and reserve 1/4 cup.
Mix all ingredients, except reserved beef, and form into a ball.
Roll in the reserved beef and serve with crackers.
Spinach Balls
Spinach Balls are so delicious and easy to make. They are always a hit at a christmas party, cocktail party, game day, baby shower or wedding party.
- 3 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
- 3 c. Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing Mix
- 2 chopped onions
- 1 1/4 c. melted butter
- 1 1/4 tablespoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon thyme
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Accent
- 9 eggs
- 3/4 c. Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 tablespoon black pepper
Drain Spinach in colander
Mix into drained spinach all other ingredients.
Refrigerate 30 minutes to facilitate handling.
Shape into bite size balls.
Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
May be frozen on sheet or bagged. If frozen, thaw 1 hr. before cooking. Makes 70 balls.
Sweet & Sour Smokies
Great as a snack, for holiday celebrations, office parties and tailgating.
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 pounds miniature smoke sausages
Combine all ingredients, except sausages. Bring to a boil.
Add sausages and reduce temperature to simmer. Serve with toothpicks.
Mini Sausage Pizza
These are a big hit for teenagers parties, movie or game night or to take to an office party.
- 1 pound sausage
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound Velveeta cheese
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbs parsley flakes
Brown and drain sausage and beef.
Shred and add 1 pound Velveeta cheese.
Add remaining ingredients.
Mix well and spread on small French bread (sliced thin) or party rye.
Bake at 350 for 15-20 min
Crabmeat Sandwiches
Excellent served at any type of party. This recipe calls for imitation crabmeat, but if you have the real thing, definitely use that.
- 1 (7.5-ounce) can crabmeat, drained
- 1 stick margarine, softened
- 1 (7-ounce) jar Old English sharp cheese spread
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp McCormick seasoned salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 (6 count) package English muffins
Mix all ingredients and spread mixture on English muffins.
Cut in quarters and freeze on cookie sheet.
When frozen, place in plastic bags. When ready to serve, take out what you need, place on cookie sheet, and put under broiler until bubbly.
Sausage Balls
Sausage Balls are very easy to make and are always a hit served at a breakfast brunch, office parties, or any type of party you choose to serve them.
- 1 lb. hot or mild sausage
- 10 oz. sharp cheese, grated
- 2 c. Bisquick
In a bowl add sausage and slowly mix in flour. Mix well. Add cheese and mix well.
Roll into small balls. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.
Party Cheese Ball
Every time I take this cheese ball to a party, people want the recipe. Serve chilled with crackers or chips.
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 (8-ounce) package shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped pimento
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated onion
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon chopped green bell pepper
Combine softened cheese with the rest of the ingredients.
Roll into ball. Chill until serving.
Pigs In A Blanket
Pigs In Blanket are so easy to make and are always a hit at any type of party. Kid's especially love them.
- 1 lb. cocktail sausage
- canned biscuits
- 1 lb. cheese
- 3 tbs. melted margarine
Make lengthwise slits in sausages.
Cut cheese into strips small enough to put into slits in sausage.
Quarter each biscuit and shape into a spiral around each cheese stuffed sausage.
Brush biscuit with melted margarine.
Bake in preheated 375* oven until biscuit is browned.
Bacon Sausage Roll Ups
These are very easy to make and are great to serve at parties or cookouts.
- 1 c. brown sugar
- 1 lb. bacon
- 16 sausage links
Cut bacon in halves. Cut sausage in halves. Wrap bacon around each sausage link and fasten with a toothpick.
Place roll-ups in greased 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
Cover and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.
Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Delicious appetizers to serve for family game night or any type party you may desire.
- 1 Pint small cherry tomatoes (about 24)
- 1 pkg (3 oz) cream cheese
- 1/4 c. Ranch-Style dressing
- 2 tbs. finely chopped green pepper
- 2 tbs. finely chopped water chestnuts
- 2 tbs. finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Slice off tops of tomatoes. Scoop out pulp, reserving to use as necessary to thin filling.
Drain tomatoes upside-down on paper towel.
Combine filling ingredients. Stuff tomatoes. Refrigerate.
Onion Blossoms
Onion Blossoms are a must have at barbecues. They can be served as a light appetizer or as a part of your meal.
- 4 large sweet onions
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 4 teaspoons vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pecans
- fresh parsley, chopped
- freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel the onion, leaving the roots trimmed but intact.
Cut in 1/4-inch slices from stem to root, but don't cut through the root end.
Turn each onion at right angles and cut again so that when you stand it on its root end, it will form a flower design.
Oil a baking dish lightly. Salt the onions and place them on their root ends in baking dish.
Sprinkle vinegar over each onion and dribble butter over them until well coated.
Cover lightly with foil and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, basting several times.
Add a few chopped pecans to the center of each onion and continue baking together 1/2 hour.
Remove from oven; season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Serve hot or at room temperature.
