Appetizer Ideas

This one is soooo easy and deliciously healthy.

Buy a small loaf of the dark party pumpernickel bread (found in the deli area). 1 container of light garden vegetable cream cheese. 1 cucumber.

Spread the cream cheese on the bread slices and place a slice of cucumber on top and whoala! Ready to serve.

Enjoy and have fun!

Taco Rollups

Flour Tortilla's
Tub of sour cream
One package taco seasoning
Finely shredded cheese
Tin foil

Mix taco seasoning in the tub of sour cream. Then, spread the sour cream/taco seasoning mixture on tortilla and sprinkle shredded cheese on it (as much as desired. After completed, roll up the tortilla and wrap it up in tin foil, stick in fridge and allow to chill so the roll doesn't come unrolled.

I usually make them the night before and stick them in fridge overnight, then take out before party and cut into 3/4 or 1 inch pieces...It's one of my favorites to make and super easy

Vegie plate always is successful - carrots, broccoli, celery, green or red peppers ect. For a dip use dry lipton onion soup mix and sour cream.

Also usually a success at our house is Pizza dip - 1 8oz cream cheese (we usually use 1 1/2) - pizza sauce ( you'll only use 1/3 to 1/2 jar) - meat we use pepperoni, but you can use canadian bacor or anything - top it off with cheese any kind you choose, we use the two color kind.

Use ritz or triscuits for the dippers

These are more type of things you'd eat with the smokies ect....

We have a great chili dip we put in the crockpot on low about 3 hours before party time.

3 can chili no beans
3 pkgs cream cheese
1 pkg shredded chedar
1 sm can of diced green chilis - optional you can go jalepenos if you like spicier

serve with totitos scoops chips

I also have a ham dip

1 pkg cream cheese
sm pkg of deli ham - slice into stips
1 cup cheddar

in oven (can cook at whatever temp you have cooking or 350/400) serve with bread or crackers

Have fun!!

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/recipedetail.htm?rec...

I made these for Christmas Eve ~ I made them up on the 23rd, put them on the baking sheet (as many that you can fit on it as possible), covered them with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge ~ the next night I just took them out and popped them in the oven when it was time. They are really good and very easy to make ~ to cut them apart, I used a pizza cutter, it was much easier than the knife I used the first time I made them.

i second the idea of crock pot items!! how about cheesy hasbrowns for side dish or spagehhti. you can make the night before and then turn on before you leave. kids love both! also have made a big meat/cheese/fruit/cracker tray (everything on one plate). had adult crackers and goldfish. kids loved the small meat and cheese pieces and goldfish. or get wood kabob sticks and put on cheese/meat, fruit etc...kids love these and they also look pretty on a tray. buy the pre-cut cheese in shapes to save time. one more item i love for parties...chopped salad (has meat, noodles, lettuce, tomoatoes etc) recipe on kraftfoods.com, is delicious and you prepare the night before and only have to put on dressing before serving.

one more thing i thought of...how about papa murphy's pizzas? all you need to do is put in over for about 20 minutes...they have some fancier ones now (chicken and artichoke, very yummy) or could get some plain ones for kids.

My mom always makes these BLT crackers when she has to bring something somewhere. You just mix miracle whip and bacon bits together and spread on crackers, then top with a slice of roma tomato. They always go over great! She really does not have a recipe she just mixes as much as she needs and is done with it!

Meat and cheese and crackers is always a big hit. Salami, roast beef, turkey and any kind of cheeses. YOu coud also include a bag of rolls for those who may like a sandwich. Sams club sells a 36 count for $4.
People always love bbq meatballs and weanies (and kids too)
You could also make a side salad, either a green/lettuce salad or noodle salad.
Jello with fruit (make ahead)

We had my daughter's baptism in the afternoon as well. I didn't want to fuss w/ a big meal so we ordered Jimmy John's subs. There is a store right by our church and we just picked them up on the way home--no fuss at all.

I did Cream of Chicken soup in a crockpot for my daughters Baptism and breadsticks on the side along with some other appetizers.

You could do an artichoke dip with those little slices of bread or crackers for dipping. You could have it all made up and then toss in the oven for approx 1/2 hr. You could do meatballs and little smokies in a crockpot. There are some pretty yummy pulled pork recipes out there for crockpots and you could even have that done the day before and heat up in a crockpot the next morning with BBQ sauces, etc..and you could have pulled pork sandwiches. There are lots of appetizers you can make in a crockpot, crab dips, artichoke heart dips, rubin dips, etc. I'd stick to crockpot ideas (if you have multiple, or borrow one or 2) that way, they can cook while you're away and will be ready when you return with relatively little work.

I just thought of another one,...those little roll-up sandwiches or cream-chx rollups are easy, and you can make those the day before too. You can even buy those at places like Costco or Sams. I prefer the cream cheese ones myself. :)

Hi M. we did the same thing for my sons baptism....and wow was that a lifesaver. Not nearly the clean up. But I have a ton of appatizers that I'd love to give you and their easy, like you do tem the night before then you put them in a bowl when ur ready for the party. e-mail me and I'll send them via email tonight...I don't want to take up to much space here.

____@____.com

I make this for Christmas every year and everyone loves them!! I add about 2-4oz chopped deli roast beef to mine. They are sooooooo good!!

Wild Mushroom and Blue Cheese Pastries

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 (4 ounce) package sliced gourmet blend mushrooms
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (17.3) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallot, add cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Stir in cheeses and nutmeg.

On a clean, flat surgace, unfold pastry sheets. Spread each evenly with mushroom mixture. Roll up, jellyroll fashion, starting with long side. Wrap each roll in heavy-duty plastic wrap, and chill 1-hour.

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease baking sheets.

Cut rolls into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place on prepared baking sheets. Bake 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown.

I have a twist on the Tortilla Roll-ups that a little more involved but everyone who's tried them says they're awesome and you can make them the night before. The key to this dish tasting great is to use fresh ingredients if you can.

Blend one package (I think they're 8 oz) Cream Cheese with about 6 oz sour cream. I use the good ole kitchen aid but anything will work as long as you can blend well.
Chop one red pepper, one jalapeno pepper (no seeds) and about 3 green onions and add them to the cream cheese and sour cream mixture.
Add about a cup to 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Add 2 teaspoons lime juice and mix everything together.
Spread on 8" Flour Tortillas and roll them up. You don't want it squishing out of the sides but thick enough to make the rolls pretty fat. Then cover and refrigerate. The next day, just cut into 3/4 - 1 inch rolls and then you can keep in the fridge until you serve them. Good luck!

This is really good my husbands aunt brought this to Christmas. I brought this to a new years eve party and it was a hit!!

Buffalo Chicken dip

4 cups cubed chicken
3 stalks celery (I used 4)
2 cream cheeses soften
1 cup Louisiana hot sauce
1 cup blue cheese dressing

Combine celery and softened cream cheese, add chicken and hot sauce. Once all that is mixed stir in blue cheese dressing. Pour into 8x10 cake pan (it makes a lot) and warm until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips. It is so good especially if you like a little spice.