631920 Fri Jun 26 09:58:20 -0700 2009 22 31 Home Cooking 0 4808515 Having a party tonight. Lots more people coming than expected. need some easy appetizer ideas. already doing: swedish meatballs, chicken wing, feta cranberry wraps, 7 layer dips, crackers and cheeses, chips and dip, cheesy english muffins. Just need easy, fast recipes. Fri Jun 26 09:58:20 -0700 2009 63634 rizzo0904 1 4808537 Can't you just double up on some of the apps you already have planned? You have a really good selection! But if not - what about that old 1970s standby of little Vienna sausages in a combination of chili sauce and grape jelly in a crockpot? Usually a cup of grape jelly to a bottle of chili sauce (some use BBQ sauce), some Worcestershire sauce, and wet mustard - maybe 2 Tbsp. of the sauce and 1 tsp. of mustard? ETA: Orange-Spiced Nuts - these are super-simple and easy to just have out in various rooms for guests to graze: http://www.chow.com/recipes/25611 Fri Jun 26 10:02:33 -0700 2009 4808515 10532 LindaWhit 1 4808547 Herbed nuts from Alice Waters The Art of Simple Food 1.5 tsp water, .5 tsp salt, 1.5 c almonds, leaves from a few sprigs fresh herbs (thyme, marjoram, savory etc.) Mix, bake at 375 until almond brown in center Fri Jun 26 10:06:53 -0700 2009 4808515 215278 corneygirl 1 4808682 bacon wrapped almond stuffed dates drizzled with honey gazpacho (serve in shot glasses with or without shrimp) fruit platter (easy, and something for the health conscious) veggie platter pigs in a blanket bruschetta watermelon-feta skewers cream puffs w/chocolate sauce or mini desserts from the frozen section (thaw and serve; no baking necessary) Fri Jun 26 10:40:44 -0700 2009 4808515 224238 Caralien 2 4808841 i think i'll add the pigs in a blanket...the kids will love them. i'm also considering pastry puffs with chicken salad since it's so easy to do. Fri Jun 26 11:23:19 -0700 2009 4808682 63634 rizzo0904 1 4808690 What is a cheesy english muffin? Fri Jun 26 10:42:03 -0700 2009 4808515 71241 lynnlato 2 4808720 These things are scarily GOOD. I first had them at a Christmas party in the early 1990s, and couldn't stop eating them! LOL But they must be made with Old English cheese spread. http://southernfood.about.com/od/seafoodappetizers/r/bl60514a.htm I always knew them as Crabby Bites. :-) Fri Jun 26 10:49:17 -0700 2009 4808690 10532 LindaWhit 3 4808786 That is certainly a little closer to the pin (by way of description) than cheesy English muffin! I guess Cheesy Crab Bites would be most accurate. ;) Where does one buy Old English cheese spread? I've never heard of it. I'm only familiar with the furniture polish! Edit for the OP: How about chili dip? Always a winner: shredded cheese on top of a can of chili (so much the better if it's your own, but you said fast!) over cream cheese spread over the bottom of a pie dish or 8x8" pan. Bake till cheese is bubbly--serve with Tostitos. Jazz it up with sliced jalapenos on top and/or your choice of taco-related seasonings (chipotle, ancho, chili powder, epazote). I made this for lunch this week. Fri Jun 26 11:09:01 -0700 2009 4808720 249664 kattyeyes 4 4808838 We always put shrimp in them when I was little, but i'm not sure if any guest have seafood allergies so i'm just doing the cheese spread...they are still yummy that way! We have a 7 layer dip coming so i think it may be too similar to the chili dip. Fri Jun 26 11:22:35 -0700 2009 4808786 63634 rizzo0904 4 4808839 Yeah, "Crabby Bites" are really NOT the most appetizing name, when you really think about it! LOL As for Old English cheese spread - I honestly don't know if it's still sold. Hmmm....it's still on Kraft's website: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Products/ProductInfoDisplay.htm?SiteId=1&Product=2100061250 Click on the Product Locator link, and put in Cheese / Jar Cheese / Old English and the distance and you can find it. I'm pretty sure it's shelf-stable until opened, so probably located with the lovely Cheez-Whiz. :-D Fri Jun 26 11:23:05 -0700 2009 4808786 10532 LindaWhit 5 4808867 HA! Probably a "sharp" variation of Velveeta! It's sounded "fancier" before you posted the pic--LOL. ;) OP, since you already have English muffins and there are kids to feed, you could make little pizzas. I used to love those when I was little. Have fun tonight! Fri Jun 26 11:30:43 -0700 2009 4808839 249664 kattyeyes 6 4809652 it is still sold along with the other flavors ...pinnaple,pimento,and olive... at the piggly wiggly. Fri Jun 26 16:36:48 -0700 2009 4808867 11854 LaLa 7 4809818 I have a hard time reading the name of that particular grocery store without giggling. ;) Thank you! Pineapple cheese--who knew?! Fri Jun 26 17:59:04 -0700 2009 4809652 249664 kattyeyes 8 4828984 Lol...my five year old is trying to talk me into putting their bump sticker on my car...it says "I am down with the Pig" Sat Jul 04 07:07:49 -0700 2009 4809818 11854 LaLa 9 4828989 I'm 40 and would try to talk you into it as well--that's a hoot! :) Love it! Sat Jul 04 07:10:04 -0700 2009 4828984 249664 kattyeyes 4 4808843 as for the old english cheese, it's usually on a shelf...not refridgerated. blue lid...small glass jar. i get mine at market basket. Fri Jun 26 11:24:09 -0700 2009 4808786 63634 rizzo0904 1 4808803 I'd definitely add a vegetable platter. Do you have a Trader Joes handy? They have a TON of ready to go stuff Fri Jun 26 11:14:31 -0700 2009 4808515 293829 mollygirl 1 4808869 Ever tried Hammy Roll-ups? Mix your favorite blue cheese (I use Danish bleu) with 8 oz. Neufchatel Cream Cheese (room temperature) to taste. Spread on somewhat thickly sliced boiled ham slices - about 1 oz.slices. (1/2 lb. of ham yields 8 slices.) Place whole scallion (cleaned and trimmed to size) at edge of each spread-covered ham slice and roll-up length-wise. Wrap each roll-up in aluminum foil and refrigerate till ready to serve. Slice cross-wise into rounds (1/4" thick) before serving. Elegant and delicious. Fri Jun 26 11:31:26 -0700 2009 4808515 99940 Boonowuno 2 4809189 Or the lowbrow version: just cream cheese, and use a whole dill pickle instead of scallions. Corned beef may be substituted for ham. Fri Jun 26 13:09:19 -0700 2009 4808869 215278 corneygirl 1 4808890 If money isn't a big concern, how about a shrimp platter? All you need to do is boil them, chill them and serve with cocktail sauce. (or in a pinch, buy the pre-cooked ones at the fish market, or even the frozen cooked ones from Trader Joes). Smoked salmon platter, with red onions, capers, tomato slices, cream cheese, etc. Serve with those cute little rye bread slices. (Ruggshlager? Something like that) You can also find great smoke trout spread and smoked salmon spread at most fish markets or delis. Baked brie. You can buy pre-made ones at TJ, but it's really just a matter of thawing some puff pastry. get a whole brie, slice in half and fill with something yummy. I like not too sweet berry preserves mixed with a little cinnamon and ginger. Add some slice almonds, top with the other half of the brie and place on a circle of puff pasty. put more jelly and nuts on top, cover with a larger circle of pasty, press around, seal and bake. An easier version is to forgo the pastry and just put the brie in baking dish that is very close in size to the cheese. bake it until it is bubbly and serve with crackers. If you like the puff pastry idea; it's simple to make tarts with whatever you have around. I like the classic french tart of cheese and tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and baked. You smear a little mustard on the pastry before putting the cheese and the tomatoes on and YUM! Fri Jun 26 11:35:41 -0700 2009 4808515 86221 lulubelle 1 4810569 So we ended up with way to much food. The swedish meatballs and wings were a huge hit. So were the english muffin things. Two people brought fruit salad, another brought avocado salad, and we have bottles of wine out the ying-yang. As far as alcohol goes, we are ready for our next party! I really want to try the baked brie idea...I'm pregnant right now and I think that's one of the banned cheeses. So in 7.5 months I'll give it a shot. Sat Jun 27 07:03:37 -0700 2009 4808515 63634 rizzo0904 2 4811521 and we have bottles of wine out the ying-yang. As far as alcohol goes, we are ready for our next party! LOL! No, it's always good to have a "stash" of wine in the house - even for cooking! Glad to hear the party was a success - I guess you're eating appetizers for a few days? Or did people go home with doggy bags? Sat Jun 27 15:59:06 -0700 2009 4810569 10532 LindaWhit 1 4829392 When I had a similar problem once, I just added some curry powder to some very good Greek yogurt. They all licked their chops and asked for the recipe. Onion frittata is pretty easy and you can cut it in cubes and put on the buffet. If the onion will slow you down, frittata with some diced or grated cheese is really easy, assuming you know how to make a frittata. Sat Jul 04 10:48:52 -0700 2009 4808515 83777 mbfant