Well, cold appetizers not only save your time, but they are delicious and healthy, too. Try these quick recipes to get ample compliments from your guests.
Whether you are throwing a big party or having a small family get-together, homemade food is always cheaper. For a big party, when you are not aware of individual preferences, it is always good to keep a variety of party food including the appetizers. If you do not have much time for preparing a wide variety, then Italian appetizers are the safest choice. Though main dishes would consume most of your time, it is always a good idea to keep the appetizers ready beforehand. Hence, cold appetizers or finger foods have become the need of the hour. They help you keep the party simple, thereby giving you more time to enjoy with your guests.
Ideas
Served before the main dishes, the main idea is to make appetizers that are not too filling. These are some ideas to help you prepare simple and easy recipes for parties, so that you can enjoy with your guests, instead of slogging in the kitchen.
Salad
It is not only healthy but also makes a great appetizer for parties. And the best part is that you can prepare and store it in the refrigerator until serving time. To make it more interesting, you can add a bit of sausages and salamis, along with cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, peas, etc.
Fruit
People love fruit appetizers. They not only taste good but are also not too filling for your stomach before the main course. Keeping it easy and simple is the best idea. Cut pineapple in slices or square shape and decorate with watermelon cubes in a large tray. Even strawberries, with a bit of Jello and whipped cream, make an interesting dish.
Meat
It is easy to make meat appetizers at home with few ingredients like salami, cheese, sausages, etc. To make one, just roll a slice of salami with cheese and insert a toothpick. Or, roll a leaf of lettuce over a one-inch long cut sausage and seal it with a toothpick.
Seafood
You cannot go wrong with shrimp. You can prepare many such recipes with it like salads, rolls, and dips. The easiest idea is to make a salad with shrimp, pasta, tomatoes, pepper, and feta, which takes just 30 minutes of preparation time.
Easy Recipes
You might think that throwing a party is taxing and time-consuming. You might be repelled by the idea of spending the whole day in kitchen. But, it need not be so with these great, quick appetizers. These are some options for a party that would hardly take 30 minutes of your preparation time.
Cheesy Bacon Deviled Eggs
Olive and Cheese Kabobs
Antipasto Salad
Cheesy Bacon Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
- Eggs, 12
- Mayonnaise, ½ cup
- Honey Mustard, 1 tbsp.
- Salt, ½ tsp.
- Bacon, 4 strips (cooked, crumbled)
- Shredded Sharp Cheddar, 2 tbsp.
- Parsley for garnish (optional)
Preparation: Hard boil the eggs and peel. Cut the eggs into halves lengthwise. Carefully remove the yolks into a bowl with the help of a spoon. Add mayonnaise, honey mustard, and mash them together with the boiled yolks. Add salt and pepper and mix it further. Place a small piece of both, bacon and shredded cheese on the egg white. Then fill the yolk mixture and refrigerate. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve cold.
Scallion Salami Roll
Ingredients
- Cream Cheese, 1 cup (softened)
- Chives, 2 tbsp. (chopped)
- Hard Salami, 24 (thinly sliced, 3″ diameter)
- Scallions, 24 (5″ length)
- Salt, ½ tsp.
Preparation: In a bowl or a processor, whip cream cheese until it turns fluffy and light. Add chives and salt and mix well. Spread this mixture over the slice of each salami. One by one, place the scallion over the salami slice and roll. Secure this with the help of a toothpick. Cover and refrigerate. Serve cold.
Olive and Cheese Kabobs
Ingredients
- Mozzarella Cheese, 20 cubes (½” each)
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, 10
- Ripe Olives, 20 (small pitted)
- Clove Garlic, 1 (chopped)
- Balsamic Vinegar, ½ cup
- Vegetable Oil, ¼ cup
- Dijon Mustard, 2 tsp.
- Sugar, ½ tsp.
- Salt, ¼ tsp.
- Basil Leaves (optional)
Preparation: In a glass or plastic bowl, mix garlic, vinegar, oil, mustard, sugar, and salt. Cut tomatoes into halves and add them to the bowl, along with cheese cubes and olives. Marinate for two hours in the refrigerator. After two hours, remove tomatoes, olives, and cheese with fork or tongs from the marinade. Take 20 bamboo skewers and on each, place one tomato, olive, cheese, and basil leaf. Refrigerate again and serve cold.
Antipasto Salad
Ingredients
- Broccoli Florets, 2 cups
- Pepperoni Sausage, ½ cup (sliced)
- Cherry Tomatoes, 10 (halved)
- Mozzarella Cheese, ½ cup (shredded)
- Parmesan Cheese, ¼ cup (grated)
- Macaroni, 1 cup
- Red Pepper Flakes, ⅛ tsp. (crushed)
- Basil, 1 tsp. (dried)
- Clove Garlic, 1 (minced)
- Red Wine Vinegar, 3 tbsp.
- Salt, 1 tsp.
Preparation: In a salted boiling water, cook macaroni till softened. Drain water and wash it with a cup of plain cold water. Pour it in a large bowl and mix with oil, garlic, pepper, basil, vinegar, Parmesan cheese, and salt. Refrigerate. Refrigerate broccoli and tomatoes in a separate bowl until 10 minutes before serving time. Mix pepperoni sausage with broccoli and tomatoes, and pour this mixture in the pasta mix and toss well. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and serve cold.
With time, people’s options and preferences have changed. Appetizers used to be served earlier before the main dishes, but they have fast gained popularity and preference to be served as the only item in a party. No doubt they are cheaper and consume less time, there are many more advantages of serving them. They allow you to be creative and flexible and you can serve a wider variety of food items than you would in the main dishes, comparatively. So, there would be something of everyone’s liking. There are thousands of such recipes available online or in cookbooks, so do a bit of homework and find easy and simple ones to help you save time, as well as money.
