Easiest Finger Appetizers - Red Grape Cups with Goat Cheese and Pistachio

Even the best culinary schools purport that easy appetizer recipes usually make the best appetizer party recipes, and if they can also be prepared in advance you have the makings of some wonderful time saving and delicous make ahead appetizers suitable for even the most sophisticated of soirees - all it takes is a few key ingredients and a little bit of imagination.

This simple recipe for make ahead appetizers uses only 3 key ingredients that compliment each other well both visually and in flavor, yet this easy appetizer recipe is by far one of the easiest finger appetizers that we have in our extensive library of party food appetizers.

Choose large, fresh red grapes and be certain to double or triple up the appetizer recipe for large crowds - these make ahead appetizers are sure to be the hit of your next party!!

Recipe courtesy Home Made Simple.


Red Grape Cups with Goat Cheese and Pistachio

INGREDIENTS
12 large red globe grapes
1 log (115 grams/4 ounces) goat cheese
125 mL (1/2 cup) shelled pistachios, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut each grape in half. Cut a small slice off the end of each half to prevent it from tipping.
Using a small melon baller or a tiny spoon, scoop out any seeds and enough flesh to create a slight indentation.
Cut the goat cheese log into 24 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
Press one side of each ball of goat cheese into the chopped pistachios.
Place the cheese in each grape half, pistachio-side up. Press gently to adhere. Serve on a small dish or a small decorative cake stand for an elegant effect.
Make Ahead Tip: Grape Cups can be prepared several hours in advance. Refrigerate in an airtight container, until ready to serve. Let them come to room temperature before serving.

For more great make ahead appetizers visit www.appetizersunlimited.com
For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.net

Party Appetizers - Wonton Appetizers Bites

The holidays can be hectic but preparing your party appetizers doesn't need to be -with a little bit of advance planning and some creative recipes for make ahead appetizers such as wonton appetizers, you can keep your last minute preparations to a minimum.

One of our favorite party appetizers is this easy recipe for Wonton Appetizers Bites from the Kraft Appetizer Recipes Collection. This appetizer recipe is quick to assemble, can be prepared up to the point of baking a day prior to your party, and offers a lot of variations to 'change it up'.

Wonton Appetizers are great party appetizers to make for large or small crowds, are suitable for any occasion, and offer a uniquely different appetizer choice from the usual party appetizers fare.

Wonton Appetizers Bites

Ingredients:
24 wonton wrappers
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup chopped green peppers
1/4 cup chopped red peppers

Directions:
HEAT oven to 350ºF.

SPRAY 24 muffin cups with cooking spray. Gently place 1 won ton wrapper in each cup, with edges of wrappers extending up sides of cups.

BAKE 5 to 7 min. or until lightly browned. (Do not overbake.) Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients.

FILL won ton cups with cheese mixture. Bake 6 to 8 min. or until cheese is melted.

Tips:
Substitue: Tex-Mex Shredded Cheese for the Monterey Jack cheese.
Make Ahead: Prepare won ton appetizers except for baking. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Bake as directed when ready to serve.
Substitute: ham or hot Italian sausage for the pepperoni.

Wonton Appetizers Bites recipe courtesy Kraft Canada.

For more great party appetizers visit www.appetizersunlimited.com
For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.net

Make Ahead Appetizers - Spinach Phyllo Roll-Ups

The Kraft Appetizer Recipes Collection of make ahead appetizers is a veritable treasure trove of quick easy appetizer ideas for the holiday entertaining season, and this delicious appetizer recipe for Spinach Phyllo Roll-Ups is no exception.

Great make ahead appetizers are the base around which to build any party appetizers table, and make ahead appetizers are also perfect to keep in the freezer for those guests who drop by unexpectedly over the holiday season.

The delicious Spinach Phyllo Roll-Ups can be stored unbaked in the freezer up to 3 months. When ready to use, simply pull out your make ahead appetizers and bake!

Make Ahead Appetizers - Spinach Phyllo Roll-Ups

Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1 egg, beaten
1 tub (250 g) Philadelphia cream cheese spread
1 cup Kraft Feta with Oregano, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Cracked Peppercorns
1 pkg. (300 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
15 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed, divided
1/3 cup butter, melted, divided

Directions:
COMBINE all ingredients except phyllo and butter. Place 1 phyllo sheet on clean work surface; brush lightly with butter. Top with 2 more phyllo sheets, brushing some of the remaining butter between each layer. Place remaining phyllo between sheets of plastic wrap; set aside.

SPREAD 1/5 of the the spinach mixture along one short side of phyllo stack to within 1 inch of ends. Fold in long sides of phyllo; roll up from one short side to make log. Brush with some of the remaining butter. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets, spinach mixture and butter. To prevent phyllo from cracking, score logs at 1-inch intervals.

PLACE in large freezer-weight resealable plastic bags. (Or wrap tightly in plastic wrap until ready to bake.) Remove from freezer 30 min. before baking. Let stand at room temperature while heating oven to 375ºF. Place on baking sheet.

BAKE 25 min. or until golden brown. Cool 5 min. Transfer to cutting board. Use serrated knife to cut each log into 6 slices to serve.

Recipe courtesy Kraft Canada.

For more great make ahead appetizers visit www.appetizersunlimited.com
For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.net

Make Ahead Appetizers - Holiday Cheese Truffles

Make ahead appetizers are tremendous time savers throughout the holiday entertaining season, and these quick easy appetizers from the Kraft appetizer recipes collection are not only great make ahead appetizers, they are also some of the easiest finger appetizers to keep on hand for unexpected company.

Holiday Cheese Truffles are quick easy appetizers to make, and are a festive way to dress up a holiday appetizers table. Create a festive wreath with these make ahead appetizers by arranging different flavoured truffles in a large circle on platter to resemble a holiday wreath. Create a decorative bow out of green onion strips. Use to garnish wreath.

Using the basic appetizer recipe, make Christmas appetizer cheese logs by rolling each half into 6-inch log before coating with nuts.

However you choose to serve these delicious make ahead appetizers, one thing is certain - these quick easy appetizers will become a party appetizers favorite for years to come.

Ingredients:
2 pkg. (250 g each) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (200 g) Cheddar Shredded Cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
Dash cayenne pepper
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
2 green onions, chopped
1-2/3 cups chopped pecans
Crackers for serving

Make It!
BEAT first 4 ingredients with mixer until blended. Divide in half. Add roasted peppers to half and onions to other half; mix each until blended.

REFRIGERATE several hours or until chilled.

SHAPE into 24 (1-inch) balls. Roll in nuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with crackers.

Variation:
For variety, coat truffles with one or more of the following: sesame seed, chopped fresh parsley, paprika and/or your favourite shredded cheese.

Recipe courtesy Kraft Canada.

For more great make ahead appetizers visit www.appetizersunlimited.com
For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.net

Thanksgiving Appetizers - Sausage & Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms

With the holiday season fast approaching, we have been very busy at Appetizers Unlimited , making and taste-testing new appetizer recipe ideas for Thanksgiving appetizers. We believe we have found another easy to make appetizers hit from the latest Kraft appetizer recipes offerings.

These delicious Sausage & Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms will compliment all of your other Thanksgiving appetizers choices and have your guests raving about your culinary skills, yet they are such quick and easy to make appetizers, requiring only 4 ingredients, that you will spend almost no time in the kitchen preparing them.

Courtesy of Kraft Kitchens:

Sausage & Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms Thanksgiving Appetizers

Ingredients:

24 medium fresh mushrooms (1 lb./450 g), cleaned
1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 cup cooked crumbled Italian sausage
1/2 cup KRAFT Part Skim Mozzarella Shredded Cheese

Directions:
Heat broiler.
Remove and discard stems from mushrooms. Brush mushroom caps with dressing; place on rack of broiler pan. Broil 5 min.
Press sausage into mushroom caps, adding about 1 tsp. sausage to each cap. Sprinkle with cheese.
Broil 3 to 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Serve hot.

Kraft Kitchens Tips:

Substitute:
Substitute Kraft Tex Mex Shredded Cheese for the mozzarella.

How to Crumble Sausage
Cut off the end of the sausage casing, then squeeze the sausage into the skillet. Cook and stir until evenly browned. This will eliminate the need to cut or crumble the sausage after it is cooked.

Enjoy!

For more Thanksgiving appetizers visit www.appetizersunlimited.com
For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.net

Gourmet Appetizers - Crabapple Recipes

Fruits stuffed with fabulous fillings make elegant gourmet appetizers when you need a show-stopping appetizer recipe, and these Stuffed Crabapples with Cheddar are guaranteed to be a hit!!

These flavor-filled, vitamin-rich, gourmet appetizers morsels from our Crabapple recipes collection are a feast for the palate as well as for the eyes. If you cannot locate crabapples, you can also substitute Chinese apples (found in the specialty produce section of grocery stores or in Chinese grocery stories).

Oh, and did we mention that these tasty bites are also incredibly easy to make appetizers?


Stuffed Crabapples with Cheddar

Ingredients
12 Crabapples or 1 basket Chinese apples
1/2 cup (125 ml) cream cheese, softened
1 tblsp (15 ml) chopped chives
Italian pepper to taste
1/4 lb (125 g) cheddar cheese

Directions:
Delicately sice off the top part of the apples.
Scoop out the flesh, taking care not to damage the inside walls. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, chives and pepper. Fill a pastry bag equipped with a fluted tip with the seasoned cream cheese and carefully fill the apples.
Add a piece of cheddar cheese and put the apple tops back in place.

Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy I Can Cook.

For more great gourmet appetizers visit www.appetizersunlimited.com
For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur.chef.net

Halloween Appetizers - Guacamoldy with Creature Chips

At Appetizers Unlimited, we know that good guacamole recipes are hard to come by, but after taste-testing this wonderful Halloween party appetizers guacamole recipe, we are sure you will agree that as a party or Halloween appetizers recipe, this is definately a keeper!!

And just to 'sweeten' the pot, this great 'Guacamoldy with Creature Chips' appetizer recipe also qualifies as one of our top star-rated make ahead appetizers recipes as a valuable time saver come party day!!

From Martha Stewart Living Ominimedia, we present:

Guacamoldy with Creature Chips

The chips can actually be made up to one day ahead. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Plain or butter-flavored vegetable-oil cooking spray
24 assorted large flour tortillas, such as plain, whole wheat, and sun-dried tomato
Coarse salt
3 pound(s) (about 7) ripe Hass avocados, pitted, peeled, and cut into chunks.
1/4 cup(s) (about 3 limes) freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
1 fresh jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Using a few Halloween-inspired cookie cutters, cut shapes from tortillas. Arrange as many shapes as can fit in a single layer on oiled sheet. Coat tortillas with cooking spray and season with salt. Bake until slightly darkened and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining tortilla shapes, using a clean, cooled baking sheet.
Put avocados, lime juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper, jalapeño, and cilantro in a large bowl. Mash with a fork until chunky. Serve with chips.

For more great Halloween appetizers visit www.appetizersunlimited.com
For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.com

Make Ahead Appetizers - Parmesan Confetti Dip

Looking for some great make ahead appetizers for your upcoming Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? Once again, we scoured our collection of easy Kraft Appetizer Recipes and came up with this delicious Parmesan Confetti Dip appetizer recipe that we have made numerous times with great success.

We can't say enough good things about Kraft appetizer recipes - they are quick to prepare and cook, use a limited number of ingredients that are generally pantry staples in any kitchen, have easy to follow instructions for even the most beginner of chefs, and most importantly are great tasting!!

This recipe for Parmesan Confetti Dip is no exception - it is a a great make ahead appetizer that frees up your valuable time on party day but refuses to compromise on taste!!

Parmesan Confetti Dip

Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup parmesan grated cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely chopped green peppers
1/2 cup finely chopped red peppers
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
MIX all ingredients; cover.
REFRIGERATE until ready to serve. Garnish with additional 1 tblsp chopped peppers.
SERVE with assorted crackers or thinly sliced artisan breads, or assorted cut-up fresh vegetables.

TIP: For a great presentation idea, cut off the top of a red pepper, remove and discard all seeds. Trim away white, pithy part of ribs. Fill shell with chilled dip.

Enjoy!

For more great make ahead appetizers visit www.appetizersunlimited.com
For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.net

Easy Party Appetizers - Sweet Vidalia Onion Dip

Vidalia onions, an unusually sweet variety of onions due to the low amount of sulfur in the soil in which the onions are grown, are the key ingredient in this amazing Sweet Vidalia Onion Dip appetizer recipe.

The Vidalia onion was first grown near Vidalia, Georgia in the 1930's. In 1986, Georgia's state legislature passed 'the Vidalia Onion Act of 1986' which trademarked the name 'Vidalia Onions' and limited the production area to certain counties in Georgia. Shortly afterwards the Vidalia Onion was named as Georgia's official state vegetable.

Our delicious and easy appetizer recipe for Sweet Vidalia Onion dip uses only 4 ingredients and is best served with an assortment of crackers, nacho chips or thin baguettes slices.

Make extra servings of this amazingly simple appetizer recipe as it is certain to be a hit at your next party.

Sweet Vidalia Onion Dip

2 large vidalia onions, chopped
2 8oz pkgs cream cheese
3 heaping tblsp mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients together and bake for 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

For more great easy party appetizers visit www.appetizersunlimited.com
For more great recipes, Chef's tips and tools visit www.amateur-chef.net