Easiest Finger Appetizers for Super Bowl - No-Fuss Mexican Layered Dip

Super Bowl parties are the perfect venue for some of the easiest finger appetizers in our collection, and this easy appetizer recipe for No-Fuss Mexican Layered Dip is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

The key to making great appetizers for a crowd is to keep it simple - fancy appetizer recipes have no place at our Super Bowl Parties!! Mexican appetizers are alway a hit and are some of the easiest finger appetizers to serve for large and small groups. As an added bonus, Mexican appetizers are generally cheap easy appetizers to make and won't take a chunk out of your budget!!

Kick off your 2010 Super Bowl party appetizers with this quick easy Mexican appetizers recipe from the Kraft Appetizer Recipes Collection, courtesy Kraft Kitchens.

No-Fuss Mexican Layered Dip

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (250 g) brick cream cheese spread, softened
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning mix
1 cup salsa
1 cup rinsed canned black beans
4 green onions, chopped 1 cup cheddar shredded cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce
2 Tbsp. sliced black olives
Baked tortilla chips

Make It!
BEAT cream cheese spread with mixer until creamy. Add seasoning mix; beat until well blended. Spread onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate.

LAYER all remaining ingredients except tortilla chips over cream cheese mixture.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour. Serve with chips.

Enjoy!

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

Party Appetizers - Applebee s Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

Looking for great Super Bowl party appetizers? Don't spend all your time in the kitchen slaving over your party appetizers when you can keep it easy with this great tasting Applebee s Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe.

A Spinach Artichoke dip is always one of the most popular party appetizers, and this Applebee s Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe uses artichoke hearts and Alfredo sauce to add a new taste to an old favourite.

Make extras of this delicious Applebee s Spinach Artichoke dip recipe - it is sure to be a touchdown at your Super Bowl party this year!

Applebee s Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe, courtesy RecipeZaar

Ingredients
1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1 cup shredded parmesan-romano cheese mix
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
10 ounces prepared alfredo sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 ounces softened cream cheese
pepper (optional)

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Combine ingredients thoroughly in a bowl and spread mixture into a small baking dish (I used an 8" X 8" dish).
3) Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheeses are bubbling and melted.
4) Serve with chips or bread and enjoy.

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

Mardi Gras Appetizers

With the rich and heavy Christmas appetizer recipes filed away for another year, now is the time to try out some delicious Mardi Gras appetizer recipes for the upcoming Mardi Gras Carnival season.

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, but the Mardi Gras Carnival season itself runs from January 6th to Mardi Gras day. Mardi Gras appetizers are a wonderful mix of Cajun, Creole and Southern cooking, steeped with amazing flavor and colorful history.

Mardi Gras appetizers are the perfect alternative to the heavy Christmas party appetizers served only a month earlier, but don't relegate them only to the Mardi Gras season as they are suitable for any time of year.

This Cajun Fried Okra Mardi Gras Appetizers recipe, courtesy Paula Deen and Foodnetwork, is certain to be a winner for your Mardi Gras celebrations, or intimate winter dinner parties.

Cajun Fried Okra Mardi Gras Appetizers

Ingredients
6 cups oil, for frying
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
Directions
2 teaspoons House Seasoning, recipe follows
1/4 teaspoon Cajun spice
2 pounds fresh okra, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/2 cup buttermilk
Creamy Chili Sauce, recipe follows
Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F. (You may not need to use this much oil; do not fill the pan more than halfway up the sides with oil.)
In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, House Seasoning, and Cajun spice. Dip okra in buttermilk and then dredge in cornmeal-flour mixture to coat well. Carefully add okra to the hot oil and cook until golden brown. (It may be necessary to fry the okra in batches.) Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, and then serve immediately.
House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Creamy Chili Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon garlic chili pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring well. Cover and chill.
Yield: 1 1/4 cups

For more great Mardi Gras appetizer recipes, visit http://www.appetizersunlimited.com/
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Make Ahead Appetizers - Salt Baked Baby Potato Cups with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

The key to holiday entertaining is to have a variety of wonderful make ahead appetizers to eliminate the stress on party day, and with the New Year's celebrations just around the corner, everyone is searching for some new and unusual party appetizers to ring in the new year.

This wonderful recipe for Salt Baked Baby Potato Cups with Goat Cheese and Walnuts is certain to please - you won't find these unique make ahead appetizers on every party appetizers table, yet once you try them, these delicious gourmet appetizers will become a party appetizers staple for years to come.

Salt Baked Baby Potato Cups with Goat Cheese and Walnuts courtesy of Kendra Bailey and HomeMade Simple.

Makes 24 hors d’oeuvres.

INGREDIENTS

45 mL (3 tbsp.) walnuts, halved
500 mL (2 cups) and 15 mL (1 tbsp.) kosher salt
24 red bliss potatoes, or other small potatoes of your choice
30 mL (2 tbsp.) canola oil
5 mL (1 tsp.) ground pepper
225 grams (8 ounces) goat cheese or chèvre, room temperature*
30 mL (2 tbsp.) chives or green onions, minced
5 mL (1 tsp.) rosemary or thyme, minced
Extra sprigs of rosemary or thyme, for garnish
*115 grams (4 ounces) cream cheese and 115 grams (4 ounces) goat cheese can be substituted.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
Spread walnuts on baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes. Set aside. Lower oven temperature to 180°C (350°F).
In a large bowl, toss potatoes in canola oil, pepper and 15 mL (1 tbsp.) salt.
Spread 500 mL (2 cups) of kosher salt on a baking sheet. Spread potatoes evenly on salted baking sheet and roast for about 35 minutes or until tender when pierced. Let cool, and then rub off the excess salt.
While the potatoes are cooking, combine goat cheese, onion and rosemary (or thyme) in a medium-sized bowl.
Cut off tops of potatoes and scoop out half of the inside. A melon baller works well for this. Discard the potato insides or save for another use, such as homemade hashbrowns or to add to soup or stews.
Fill each potato cup with goat cheese mixture and top with a halved walnut. Garnish the serving platter with extra sprigs of herbs.

Tip: Use a pastry bag to fill your potato cups. If you don’t have one, create your own by filling a large re-sealable plastic bag with cheese mixture and snipping off the bottom corner. Be sure to squeeze the bag from the top and not the bottom, so the filling doesn’t overflow over the edge.

Tip: To add extra flair to your presentation and prevent your potatoes from tipping over, spread rock salt on a platter and nestle the potatoes into it.

Tip: To save time before your party, bake the potatoes and scoop out the insides a day ahead of time. Just brush the potatoes in oil and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also make cheese mixture the day before. When ready to serve, briefly reheat the potatoes, fill with cheese and season with salt and pepper.

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 - Phyllo Wrapped Baked Brie Appetizer

When making the list for your party appetizers at this busy time of year, for the easiest and most popular party appetizers (or for those unexpected guests who drop by unannounceh), always make certain to keep a round of brie cheese and some artisan crackers on hand for a quick and easy baked brie appetizer.

This delicious recipe for Phyllo Wrapped Baked Brie Appetizer can be prepared, baked and served in under 30 minutes. And there is a good reason that this baked brie appetizer is one of our most popular party appetizers recipe - it just tastes so darn good!!

From the Kraft Appetizer Recipes Collection:

Phyllo Wrapped Baked Brie Appetizer

Ingredients:
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 green onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinaigrette dressing
4 sheets frozen phyllo, thawed
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 pkg. (125 g) brie cheese
Selection of crackers for serving

Directions:
HEAT oven to 400°F. Cook mushrooms and onions in dressing in skillet until tender. Cool.

BRUSH 1 phylllo sheet with butter; cover with remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each layer with butter before stacking. Cut 10-inch circle from stack; discard trimmings.

CUT cheese horizontally in half; place 1/2 in centre of phyllo stack. Top with 1/2 the mushroom mixture, remaining cheese and mushrooms. Fold phyllo around cheese, folding as necessary to completely enclose cheese; brush with remaining butter. Place on baking sheet or in pie plate.

BAKE 15 min. or until golden brown. Serve with crackers.

Substitute: Whole cooked cranberries, cooled, for the mushrooms for a festive touch.
Tips: To cut down on preparation time, purchase pre-sliced mushrooms for use in this recipe.
Tips: Use a clean pair of kitchen shears to cut out the phyllo circle.

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

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

Easiest Finger Appetizers - Almond Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Prunes

The holiday entertaining season is here and many of us are struggling to cope with hectic work and home schedules as well as an endless number of holiday parties, so keep your party appetizers simple for the key to stress-free entertaining with some of the easiest finger appetizers recipes available.

This recipe for Almond Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Prunes is one of the easiest finger appetizers to prepare and makes for easy cutlery-free entertaining, yet tastes absolutely delicious! With only 3 ingredients, these easy to make appetizers can be quickly assembled for impromptu gatherings as well!

These easy to make appetizers are proof that delicious party appetizers don't need to be complicated!

Almond Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Prunes

Ingredients
24 pitted prunes
24 almonds, toasted
12 slices bacon

Directions
Heat the oven to 450°F/230°C. Stuff the prunes with the almonds. Cut the bacon in half and wrap a piece around each date. Set on a baking sheet and broil about 10 minutes, turning once, until the bacon is crisp. Serve hot with cocktail picks for spearing.

Recipe courtesy The Food Network.

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

Baked Brie Appetizer with Pear and Red Onion Chutney

Just in time for the holiday entertaining season comes this updated version of the basic baked brie appetizer - a delicious Bake Brie Appetizer with Pear and Red Onion Chutney!!

A baked brie appetizer is one of the most versatile appetizers you can serve and is always a party appetizers favorite. Change your toppings with the to include seasonal produce to create a whole new baked brie appetizer suitable for any occasion.

This Baked Brie Appetizer with Pear and Red Onion Chutney is a perfect additon to any holiday party appetizers table - make lots as this baked brie appetizer is so delicous, it will have your guests lining up for more!

Baked Brie Appetizer with Pear and Red Onioin Chutney

Ingredients
2 x 125g packs Rosenborg-Castello® Brie Cheeses
Chutney :
2 x medium red onions - thinly sliced
1-2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 ripe pear - peeled, cored and diced
2-3 tbsp. apple juice
Walnut bread and a few salad leaves to serve.

Method
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
1. Make chutney by gently sauteeing the onion in the oil until soft and transparent - this will take about 10 minutes. Stir in sugar, pears and a little apple juice and continue cooking to soften pears and combine all the ingredients. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Place Brie on a baking sheet and bake for 10 - 12 minutes - until they feel soft when gently pressed on top.
3. Serve Baked brie appetizer with chunks of walnut bread, or artisan crackers and the chutney.

Recipe courtesy Rosenborg-Castello.

For more great baked brie appetizer recipes 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

Make Ahead Appetizers - Egg Rolls

Make ahead appetizers are the ultimate life-savers during the hectic holiday season, and these delicous egg roll appetizers are the perfect make ahead appetizers for any large gathering.

These make ahead appetizers freeze well, just pull out of the freezer and pan fry once thawed. As an added bonus, homemade egg rolls are a much healthier and less expensive choice than store-bought party appetizers.

Switch up your make ahead appetizers - substitute shrimp for the pork for delicious shrimp appetizers, or tofu for the pork for wonderful vegetarian party food appetizers.

Make Ahead Appetizers - Egg Rolls

Ingredients:
Filling:
2 c. shredded cabbage
4 oz. chopped mushrooms (preferably fresh, but canned will work)
1/4 c. shredded carrots
1/2 c. chopped onions
1/4 c. celery, finely chopped
1 lb. pork, cut into very small pieces
1 tsp. peanut oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP cooking sherry
1 beaten egg
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 lb. tiny shrimp
1 pkg. Lumpia or Egg Roll Wrappers

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
2/3 c. sugar
3/4 c. water
1 TBSP white vinegar
1 TBSP catsup
1 dash soy sauce
Peanut oil for frying

Directions:
1) In a large wok or fry pan, cook pork in oil and garlic and drain. Add all vegetables and shrimp and cook for 5 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.
2) Put mixture in a strainer and drain all juices and put mixture into a large bowl. Using a soup spoon, take a spoonful of mixture and fill each egg roll wrapper. Roll into a small egg roll.
3) Cook in electric skillet with peanut oil until golden brown and crisp .They freeze wonderfully! Pull out of freezer and pan fry after they thaw.

Sauce:
Put all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to boil and remove from heat. Place in small dipping bowl.

Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy Viva Diva Cafe.

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 Food Appetizers - Shrimp Appetizers Kebobs

Great parties are remembered not only for the great company but also for the delicous party food appetizers that were served, and these delicous shrimp appetizers kebobs are certain to have your guests raving for months to come.

As far as party food appetizers go, shrimp appetizers are always in constant demand, and delicious, creative party appetizers help set the stage for a hightly successful get together.

This recipe for shrimp appetizers kebobs is not only delicous but also visually appealing, and is just as suitable for party food appetizers as it is for gourmet appetizers for a small and intimate dinner party.

Shrimp Appetizers Kebobs

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh peeled and grated gingerroot
1 tablespoon lite soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
12 fresh large shrimp, peeled and deveined, leaving tails intact
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares (or stars with small star shaped cookie cutter)
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares (or stars with small star shaped cookie cutter)
12 fresh small mushrooms
6 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
Garnish: lime wedges and green onion curls, if desired

Directions:
1) Combine first 6 ingredients in a food-safe plastic bag. Place shrimp in bag with marinade; turn shrimp to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour.
2) Set oven to broil. Lightly coat rack in broiler pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
3) Remove shrimp from marinade; reserving marinade. Alternate yellow and red bell pepper, mushrooms, shrimp and green onion pieces on each of twelve 6-inch skewers. Brush kabobs with reserved marinade, and discard remaining marinade.
Arrange the kabobs on the prepared rack in broiler pan.
4) Broil, 4 inches from heat, about 6 minutes, turning once, until shrimp are pink and veggies crisp tender. Arrange on a large serving platter or individual appetizer plates. Garnish with lime wedges and green onion curls, if desired.

Makes 12 appetizer servings. Increase quantities for larger crowds.

Recipe courtesy Viva Diva Cafe.

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

Make Ahead Appetizers - Crispy Coconut Shrimp Appetizers

Make Ahead Appetizers help save the day when trying to juggle a full work and busy family schedule during the hectic entertaining season, and these delicious crispy coconut shrimp appetizers do double duty as valuable time saving make ahead appetizers, and exceptionally easy to make appetizers.

Shrimp appetizers are always the highlight of any party appetizers tray, and these delicious offerings from the Kraft Appetizer recipes collection are certain not to disappoint!

Crispy Coconut Shrimp Appetizers

Ingredients:
1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1 pouch Extra Crispy Chicken Coating Mix
1/4 tsp. each curry powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
24 uncooked large shrimp (1 lb./450 g), peeled, deveined
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
HEAT oven to 400°F. Combine coconut, coating mix and seasonings in shallow bowl.
DIP shrimp in egg, then roll in coconut mixture until evenly coated. Place on baking sheet.
BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until shrimp are tender.

Make Ahead
These appetizers can be assembled ahead of time. Refrigerate up to 3 hours before baking as directed.

Curry Dip
Mix 1/2 cup Ranch Dressing, 1/4 cup Pure Orange Marmalade, 1 tsp. curry powder and 2 to 3 drops hot pepper sauce until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve as a dip with the shrimp.

Enjoy!

Crispy Coconut Shrimp Recipe courtesy Kraft Kitchens.

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

Baked Brie Appetizer - Carmelized Pear on Warm Brie

Cheese is a staple at any party, but this holiday season 'kick up' your party appetizers with a delicious baked brie appetizer!

In an earlier article, we published a recipe for our favorite baked brie appetizer, and in subsequent articles suggested many different topping ideas to personalize your own baked brie appetizer, but now we have found another winning baked brie appetizer recipe from Living Well and the Canadian Living Test Kitchen!!

Caramelized Pear on Warm Brie

1 green onion
2 tsp (10 mL) butter
1 pear, diced
pinch each salt and cinnamon
1/4 cup (50 mL) pear juice or apple juice
3 tbsp (50 mL) chopped pecans
2 tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp (5 mL) cider vinegar
1 round (200 g) Brie cheese

Directions
Thinly slice green onion, keeping white and green parts separate.
In nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat; fry pear, white part of onion, salt and cinnamon for 5 minutes or until pear is softened.
Add pear juice, pecans, brown sugar, thyme and vinegar; boil, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until no liquid remains.
Place Brie in brie baker or on ovenproof serving dish; top with pear mixture. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is softened. Let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green part of onion.

Enjoy!

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

Mexican Food Appetizers - Easy Guacamole Recipe

Whether you are hosting a casual or a formal affair, your party appetizers are meant to get your evening off to a lively start, and there is no better way to achieve that than by serving some traditional Mexican food appetizers.

Our easy guacamole recipe will have your party sizzling before you can even say 'ole'!! Serve your spicy Mexican food appetizers with some cool Mexican-themed cocktails. A great Guacamole dip is perfectly paired with a chilled Margarita.

Our easy guacamole recipe takes only a few minutes to prepare, leaving you plenty of time to prepare a variety of other Mexican food appetizers for your soiree!

Easy Guacamole Recipe

3 ripe avocados
Juice of 2 limes
2 tblsp (30 ml) chopped cilantro
1/2 sweet red pepper, finely diced
2 tblsp (30 ml) olive oil
Salt and Tabasco sauce to taste

Peel the avocados, remove the pits and chop into chunks.
In a food processor, blend the avocado, lime juice, cilantro, chopped sweet pepper, olive oil and seasoning.

Serve Guacamole dip with nachos or tortillas.

Enjoy!

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

Halloween Appetizers - Black Magic Bruschetta Recipe

Halloween is always hectic, and no one has much time to spend in the kitchen preparing appetizers for a party, so this inventive Halloween Appetizers recipe is the perfect party appetizers solution. This creative Black Magic Bruschetta Recipe is a great twist on the traditonal easy Italian bruschetta recipe, and arrives just in time for your last minute Halloween appetizers - guaranteed to be a party-saver favorite!!

Black Magic Bruschetta Recipe, courtesy of Chatelaine Magazine uses black olive tapenade, a store-bought thick olive paste, spread on crunchy toasted bruschetta, which contrasts strikingly with a vibrant orange pepper salsa.

Black Magic Bruschette Recipe

Ingredients:
2 orange peppers, finely chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup (75 mL) shredded fresh basil
1 tbsp (15 mL) each white wine vinegar and olive oil
1/2 baguette, sliced into thin rounds
1/2 8-oz (227-g) container tapenade

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Place peppers, onions and basil in a medium bowl. Drizzle with vinegar and oil. Toss to evenly coat. Place baguette rounds on a baking sheet. Toast in oven until edges are golden, 4 minutes per side. If making ahead, cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. To serve, spread rounds with tapenade, then spoon salsa overtop.

Enjoy!

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

Make Ahead Appetizers - Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Cheese Appetizers

Make ahead appetizers are absolute life savers for busy party planners - great tasting and easy party appetizers that can be prepared ahead of time and cooked or assembled at the last minute are essential for a well organized party.


This delicious Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Appetizers recipe scores high marks on all points - these great tasting make ahead appetizers have a unique flavor that will have your guests scrambling for more, and are easy to prepare in advance to free up valuable time on party day.


Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Cheese Appetizers


Ingredients
Crust:
1 ¼ (300 ml) cups all purpose flour
6 tbsp (90 ml) chilled butter, cut into pieces
1 egg

Filling
½ cup (125 ml) drained, oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, reserving 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil
4 cloves garlic
½ tsp (2 ml) dried oregano
3 eggs
1 pkg (250 g) Canadian cream cheese, regular or light, cut into pieces
1 cup (250 ml) sour cream, regular or light
½ cup (125 ml) finely chopped green onions
Salt and pepper, to taste


Directions:
To make crust: In a food processor container, blend flour with butter using on/off pulse until mixture becomes granular. Add egg and blend just until dough begins to form a ball. Press dough onto bottom of a 13 x 9-inch (33 x 23 cm) baking pan. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden.

To make filling: Meanwhile, in a food processor container, finely chop sun-dried tomatoes with reserved oil, garlic and oregano. Stir in eggs. Add cream cheese and mix until smooth. Transfer mixture into a bowl; stir in sour cream and green onions until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble: Pour filling over crust and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool to room temperature. Cut into small squares to serve. Makes 24 appetizers.

Tip A day or two before the party, you can prepare and refrigerate the crust and the filling separately. The day of the party, you can bake the crust then pour the filling and bake.


Enjoy!!


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

Trick or Tr-eating with Halloween Appetizers

With the devilishly fun day quickly creeping up now is the time to plan some frightfully quick and easy Halloween party appetizers for the big day.

Halloween appetizers are fun to create and can be very easy to make simply by converting your regular party offerings into scary appetizers with a few everyday ingredients. A baked brie appetizer can be made to look like a scarecrow by adding black olives as eyes, a thin slice of orange or red pepper as a nose and sliced almonds as a mouth. Pour ¼ to ½ cup of maple syrup on top and bake at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes or until warm. Garnish with shredded wheat around the top and bottom as hair and a beard and serve.

Transform everyday meatballs into delightful Halloween appetizers by topping with marinara sauce, adding a small round of cream cheese and dotting with olive pieces for the eyeballs and serve on wooden toothpicks.

As you can see, it is easy to transform everyday party appetizers into spooky Halloween appetizers with a few everyday ingredients and a little bit of imagination, so put on your witch’s hat and mix up your own brew of unique easy appetizers this Halloween.

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

Shrimp Appetizers - Thai Shrimp Skewers

As far as party appetizers go, it doesn't get much easier than these simple Thai Shrimp Skewers. We found these easy to make appetizers on the Coastal Living website and were immediately impressed by the elegant simplicity of these 5-ingredient shrimp appetizers. After trying them out, we are converts!!

Rather than waste your time extolling the virtues of these easy to make appetizers, we give you:

Thai Shrimp Skewers

Serve these skewered bites at your next party and your guests will rave for weeks. Creamy white coconut milk, hot curry, and a splash of aromatic fish sauce highlight the simple flavors of juicy shrimp.

½ cup light coconut milk
¼ cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons red curry paste
24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Whisk together coconut milk, coconut, fish sauce, and curry paste in a medium bowl. Add shrimp; toss well. Chill 1 hour.
2. Grill shrimp over medium-high heat 2 minutes on each side or until done. Place on individual bamboo picks to serve. Makes 2 dozen.

Hosting Help: Skewer food ahead of time with decorative toothpicks to add a fun flair and easy pickup for guests.

For more great shrimp appetizer ideas, visit http://www.appetizersunlimited.com/

Cold Appetizers - Cold Spring Rolls

When planning the party appetizers for a large group it is always best to make sure you have a variety of both hot and cold appetizers. Whereas the final preparations for hot appetizers must be completed just before serving, cold appetizers are great make ahead appetizers, thereby freeing up your time on party day.

While searching through our library of recipes for versatile cold appetizer recipes, we came across this wonderful old favorite - regardless of what the theme is for your upcoming party, these Cold Spring Rolls are perfect party food appetizers for any number of people and are surprisingly easy to make!

Cold Spring Rolls
Increase porportions according to the number of guests.

8 small rice wraps (can be found in Asian food stores or most grocery stores)
2 oz cellophane noodles
8 Boston lettuce leaves
1 large carrot, shredded
1 red pepper, julienne
6 0z bean sprouts
8 fresh mint leaves
8 fresh basil leaves

1. Put cellophane noodles in a medium sized bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 10 minutes and drain. Use scissors to cut the noodles into shorter lengths.
2. Fill another bowl with warm water and place a clean tea towel on your work surface. For each roll, dip a rice paper wrap in the warm water for 10-20 seconds or until softened. Place your wrap on the tea towel and brush off any excess water.
3. For each roll, arrange cellophane noodles, lettuce, carrot, red pepper, bean sprouts, mint and basil 1-inch from the bottom of the rice wrap. Fold the bottom inch overthe ingredients. Fold in left and right sides of the wrap, then roll to create a cylinder. Repeat with the remaining wraps.
4. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce
1/3 cup fish sauce
2 tsp superfine sugar
1 tblsp rice vinegar
2 red Thai chillies, seeded and chopped
2 green Thai chillies, seeded and chopped

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together. Stir together until the sugar has dissolved.
Serve with Cold Spring Rolls.

For more great appetizer ideas, visit http://www.appetizersunlimited.com/