Easy appetizer recipes, please?

[newtohosta-no more]

I thought I had posted this on here yesterday, but I don't see it now. So I don't know if it's a glitch on the forum or if I just forgot to hit the submit button! (knowing me, it's the latter )
Anyway........I will be attending an annual Euchre party soon and everyone brings appetizers to share. I've taken things in the past that everyone liked, but I do like to take something different each year. I'm running out of ideas and it has to be something easy and not too time consuming. So if any of you have an appetizer that you make that everyone raves about and would be willing to share your recipe, I would very much appreciate it.
TIA

[petal*pusher]

Oh boy! This is my favorite and everyone seems to like it! It is SO easy to make....and serves up so beautifully!

Spiced Pineapple Chunks

20 oz. can pineapple chunks (preferrably unsweetened)
2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. cider vinegar
1 t. whole cloves
2 or 3 sticks of cinnamon, broken

Drain pineapple; measure drained liquid and add water to make 2 cups. Just add everything together except the pineapple chunks. Bring liquid to boil...reduce heat and simmer for about 10 min.

Pour hot syrup over drained pineapple. Cool and refrigerate. (this will keep indefinately in fridge!)

I like to serve in a pretty pedestal dish with a small vase of toothpicks sitting next to it. Just insert a few toothpicks into the pineapple so it is easy to take! It looks so pretty with the cloves and pieces of cinnamon scattered thruout!.....p

[hostaaddict]

I like to make party picks. So simple!!! Just cut Little Smokies in halves or thirds. Alternate a cheddar cheese chunk, pice of Little Smokie, and a pineapple chunk. You could also substitute an olive for the pineapple chunk. You can get some nice party picks anymore and these look pretty on a fancy dish. They disappear fast.

[hostaaddict]

Another idea, but not exactly sure of the recipe. My DIL makes those tortilla rollups and then slices them and inserts toothpick crosswise to keep from unrolling. You can pretty much use whatever you have. Can spread with one of those flavored cream cheese spreads, add slices of ham or whatever and roll tightly. They also look pretty on a platter.

[newtohosta-no more]

Wow! All those sound great and so easy!! I'll wait a few days and then copy all the recipes that people have contributed and then sit down and decide which ones to try.
Thanks for the suggestions so far!

[tsbccowboy]

When playing Sheepshead with the guys, I always bring the same thing: Take Carl Buddig Corned Beef and spread whipped cream cheese on a piece of beef, quarter a big pickle (Lengthwise) and place one of the quartered pickles about one pickle width away from the edge of one piece of beef (Cream cheese side) and roll it up. Cut the ends off and cut the rest into bite-sized pieces. I usually spread the cream cheese on 4 pieces of beef at a time to match the 4 quarters of the pickle. It takes about one jar of pickles, one pint?/container of cream cheese, maybe 5 Carl Buddig corned beefs (I usually just grab a bunch of them or get one large one). You could put toothpicks through them or have toothpicks available (when we are playing cards we don't use any toothpicks, sorry, it's just us guys). I use whipped cream cheese because it spreads easier than regular cream cheese. If they don't have corned beef at the store, I have substituted with beef.

I am not much of a cook but I can make these things.

My favorite part to making these things is eating the ends.

Cowboy

[caliloo]

All the suggestions above are good ones and I don't think any of them would be turned down!

A few more to consider -

Pina Colada on a stick - cut fresh pineapple (or well drained canned if fresh isn't available) and cover with Parrot Bay rum in a Gladlock bowl. Chill for 12 hours or more and serve with toothpicks. I've kept it for 2 weeks, the alcohol preserves it and it gets better with age!

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Artichoke Heart and Red Pepper Bites

These simple appetizers are something that we always have on hand for surprise guests. They freeze extremely well, are very easy to make, and are always popular. They go together very well with the rest of this festive Easter menu and require no preparation time at all on a very busy day. Simply defrost and eat!

6 ounces marinated artichoke hearts in oil
6 ounces roasted bell peppers
1 small chopped onion
2 minced cloves garlic
4 eggs
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Dash hot pepper sauce
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 inch baking dish. Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving 2 tablespoons of the oil. Drain the roasted peppers and discard the liquid. Finely chop the artichoke hearts and peppers and set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the reserved oil, onion, and garlic. Cook for five minutes, or until soft and translucent. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Beat the eggs in a large bowl until thick and lemon colored. Beat in the remaining ingredients along with the artichoke hearts, peppers, and onion mixture. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until pale golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes, then cut into one inch squares. Tightly wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to a month. Serve cold, at room temperature, or gently reheated in a 300 degree oven for 5-10 minutes.

Makes 60 bites.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Cooling Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
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Bacon Wrapped Lil Smokies

I have found that this appetizer is always a hit.

Bacon Wrapped Sausages

2 pkgs. bacon
1 pkg. Little smokies
Brown sugar
Toothpicks

Preheat oven to 350. Cut bacon into thirds. Wrap each smokie in a piece of bacon, secure with a toothpick. Sprinkle with as much or as little brown sugar as you like. Bake for about 25-35 minutes or until bacon crisps.

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Buffalo Chicken Dip
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
1 12oz. bottle Frank's Hot Sauce
2 8oz pkgs. cream cheese
1 16oz. bottle blue cheese salad dressing(or Ranch if you prefer)
Additional blue cheese, optional


Simmer or bake chicken until cooked through, shred with 2 forks.
Preheat oven to 350. In a 13x9, combine chicken with hot sauce and spread evenly.
In a large saucepan over med. heat, combine the cream cheese and dressing, stirring until smooth and hot. Pour evenly over chicken. Bake uncovered for 20 min., then sprinkle with additional blue cheese and bake uncovered for another 10 min. Let stand 10 min. before serving.

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Crab Canoe

1 loaf French bread, hollowed out. Cut part hollowed out in chucks.

Combine:
1 1/2 cups Hellmann’s mayonnaise
1 bag grated Colby/jack/cheddar cheese
7 small green onions, chopped fine
4 cans crabmeat, rinsed and squeezed with fresh lemon juice

Put mixture in hollowed-out bread loaf and bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees until bubbly.
The last 10 minutes add a little more of the grated cheese.
Place bread cubes around and use to dip with.
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And an all time favorite from a friend on another cooking forum....

The Utmost Grilled Cheese - Sharon (courtesy of the Best of Bridge)

1 loaf of french bread , sliced lengthwise
2 TBSP prepared mustard
1 cup cheddar, grated
1 cup jack cheese, grated
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp "Wouster" sauce aka Worcestershire Sauce
1 egg
6 slices bacon , cooked crisp and crumbled
2 green onions, chopped

Spread each side of the loaf with mustard. Mix the remaining ingredients until well combined. Spread the mixture on the bread and broil unitl lightly browned and puffed. Cut into strips and serve immediately.

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Have fun and let us know what you decide to make!

Alexa

[newtohosta-no more]

Thanks for all the ideas. I've copied them all and will sit down and read them over and then make a decision. They all sound wonderful!!

[newtohosta-no more]

Again....thank you all for the wonderful ideas! I also checked some library books out to see if there was any neat ideas in them. (I found one that I've decided I'll have to buy at some point in time. )
Anyway....the party was so much fun!! There was so much food and drinks and about 20+ people attending. I didn't do so well on the scoreboard, but DH tied for third place. It's surprising that no one knew what someone else was bringing as an appetizer, but we still ended up with no duplicates! Someone even brought a version of that Fabulous Bean Dip, so I'm glad I didn't make that!
I ended up doing a huge tray of the party picks and some rollups. I did about 2/3 of them with meat and the other 1/3 meatless (in case someone was a vegatarian or gave up meat for Lent). The party picks really added lots of color to the tray. Gave it that summery feel. Only some of the party picks were left by the end of the evening. I also made up a bowl of the Pina Colada Pineapple and it turns out that it went great with the Rum fruit punch that the hostess had made. People would put some of the pineapple in their punch cups and then eat them when the drink was gone.
We had loads of fun. Didn't get home until after 1AM, so the next day was a "recover day".

I have to laugh at a story that our friend told. He and his wife (the host and hostess) went to one of the Mexican resort places for their 25th anniversary (which was in Feb) and had a fabulous time!! On the way back they had purchased some duty free booze (to use for the upcoming Euchre party), but had forgotten that you can't take it on the plane in your carryon. The customs officer told them they'd have to put the bottles in one of their suitcases. So that's what they did...........and guess which suitcase didn't show up when they went to the luggage claim when they got back home? Our friend joked that there were a group of Mexican luggage handlers somewhere wearing his pants and having a great party!