Need appetizer ideas

Any suggestions for an appetizer to take to a potluck next weekend? It needs to be able to travel several hours in a cooler to its destination. I have time to make something in advance, but seem to be drawing blanks as to what. Thank you all! Meagan

[dehka]

Eggplant with tomatoes

This is a delicious dish. Eggplant is known to be a very popular appetizer especially among Middle Easterns. In this recipe, it is served like pickles.
Cuisine Egyptian
Main ingredients Eggplants, Tomatoes
Time of preparation 15 Minutes
Time of cooking 15 Minutes
Serving 8




Ingredients 2 Eggplant ,medium size
4 Tomatoes ,medium size
2 Onions ,medium size
2 Green Chili Pepper
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Garlic ,crushed
1/2 cup Vinegar
Sunflower Oil ,for deep frying




Directions 1. Peel and slice eggplants and place in a bowl of salt and water.
2. Deep-fry eggplants over high heat then set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
3. In a skillet heat olive oil and garlic. Stir for 2 minutes until golden.
4. Add tomatoes, onions and chili pepper and continue stirring for another 2 minutes.
5. Add 1/4cup vinegar and remove from heat.
6. Arrange eggplant slices to form one layer on a platter; cover with tomato mixture and sprinkle with the other 1⁄4 cup vinegar.

[saltandpepper]

Tapenade is good -- I make one with only 3 ingredients -- olives, capers, and roasted red peppers. Some tapenade, goat cheese, and something to spread them on is great.

[sherrisparaga]

The Barefoot Contessa has the most wonderful tuna tartare, it is so easy to make and impresses guests every time. Make sure your tuna is super fresh. Check it out on my blog: http://sherribraude.blogspot.com/2006...

Let me know how it goes!

How about a smoked salmon or smoked bluefish pate? Or you could make a few different tapanade-type things, one with sundried tomatoes and one with black olives and one with artichokes, and serve with goat cheese and crostini.

A couple of weeks ago I made and traveled with "Gougeres" They were easy and yummy and very elegant. I used the recipe from ArthurSchwartz.com
Served them with a wedge of pate and some folks cut the gougeres in half and made a little sandwich with a slice of the pate. There is also a similar recipe for gougeres in Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris cookbook. Be sure to use good quality cheese.

Here's one that my wife likes even tho it has a slight spicy bite to it. She makes a dip using Harry and David's Pepper and Onion Relish with cream cheese. The recipe is on the label (I think). Serve the dip with either corn chips or crudites.