BYHere’s some of our favorite appetizers to ring in the new year. Happy 2011 to all of you!
Bacon-Wrapped Cocktail Sausages: These changed my life. And my hips. Forever.
Bruschetta: A classic. Light, fresh, easy and delicious.
Sweet Fruit Bruschetta: our little twist on the classic.
Sweet and Sour Meatballs or Little Smokies: 3 ingredients, can’t beat that!
7-Layer Greek Dip: Kate just posted this amazing dish, sure to be a hit.
Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pastry Pockets: These are great because they can be made ahead of time and served warm, or at room temp.
Garlic-Artichoke Dip: Cheesy, tangy, garlicky goodness.
Hot Corn Dip: Use frozen fresh corn for this to-die-for dip.
And hey, it’s vegetable based, totally good for you!
Hot White Bean Dip: This dip is actually fairly healthy,
and no one will have a clue because it’s so delicious. Shh…we won’t tell.
Quick and Easy Mexican Dip: Another one with only 3 ingredients!
Cheeseball: Seriously, what party is complete without a cheeseball??
Roasted Red Pepper Dip: Creamy and cheesy with a little kick. My husband’s request every party!
Guacamole: Follow our easy tips for perfect guac!
Sweet Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips: Try this fun variation of chips and salsa. It’s light, sweet, and refreshing. Mix it up with whatever fruit is in season.
Caramel Toffee Fruit Dip: Another sweet ending. Serve fruit on skewers, or in a big bowl with some tooth picks to the side. Even just apple slices work well. Make a double or triple batch because it will go quick!
Stuffed Pizza Rolls: A huge hit at parties. Make a few of these and keep them in the fridge before your party. Bake one for the table and then pop the others in the oven during the party so they can be served warm. Trust me, you’ll need lots! Try your favorite fillings or try one of mine:Bacon-Ranch.
Jalapeno Popper Dip: It’s like jalapeno poppers, only about 8000 times easier.
And better. And cheesier.
When trying to plan “finger foods” I often think of my favorite normal sized foods and just adapt them to make them appropriate for large groups. One great example is skewers. Try your favorite grilled skewer (which you can easily place on a broiler pan and cook in large batches in your oven) and just put them on mini skewers or tooth picks. Some of our favorites are:
Bacon-Wrapped Teriyaki Skewers: These work great on toothpicks- just put one piece of bacon-wrapped chicken and one chunk of pineapple on a toothpick. Whenever I serve these at parties they are one of the very first things to disappear!
Orange-Thai Beef Skewers: I like these on mini skewers, which are larger than a toothpick but smaller than a regular skewer. Just put one slice of thinly cut steak on each skewer. Garnish the tray with sliced oranges and people can snack on those too.
Chili-Lime Mango Chicken Skewers: This is another great one for a tooth pick. Just put one chunk of mango and one piece of chicken on each one. You can bake them in the oven on a cookie sheet at 350 until the chicken juices run clear (probably about 15 minutes depending on the size of the chicken)
Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers: One of my favorite dinners that doubles as a great appetizer. Try them with chicken tenders for large servings, or cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces to stretch it farther. If you make the small chicken chunks, put them in a bowl or platter so they stay close to each other and stay warm. Serve with a dish of toothpicks to the side and some dipping sauce (like sweet and sour) if desired.
A great, easy appetizer is a pizza. You could make your own if you have the time and the desire, or just use pre-made crust and throw on your own toppings. Try something like Asian BBQ Chicken Pizza for something different. Heck, even a pizza from the freezer section of the grocery store works great. Just cut into squares instead of slices and you have a great appetizer that serves quite a few!
Taquitos: These taquitos make a great party food. Try either the Chipotle Beef, or the Creamy Chicken. Both fillings can be made ahead of time which comes in handy when you’re preparing lots of food. Serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.
Classic Caramel Corn: Because sometimes you just need a little something sweet! Or if you want to glam it up, try our Cinnamon Bun Caramel Corn, pictured below.
Hope this list gives you a little inspiration. Good luck to those of you hosting parties, and a Happy New Year to all of you! Please try to avoid being stupid and don’t drink and drive!
I highly recommend the chicken fingers, stuffed pizza rolls & creamy chicken taquitos! All three were a huge hit with my family and there were no leftovers of any of the three the first time I made them! There was nearly a fight over the pizza rolls between my 6 yo & DH. 🙂
Want to try the teryaki skwers & caramel popcorn next!
Oh my gosh…you had to post this didn't you!?
I may have to stay in "town" for New Years, JUST to make some of this! We PLANNED to just cut up a chunk of caribou heart and eat that, since we're going on our snow machines, to camp…no running water, no food,and a wood stove. UGH.
(Hey, maybe I can make caramel corn and bring it!)
Thank you so much for posting this! My street is hosting a progressive appetizer dinner and I am hosting one of the houses. Until this post, I wasn't sure what I was going to make. You are a lifesaver!!!
The teriyaki pineapple chicken skewers are to die for!! It's a staple at our house, in fact we're having them this weekend!
YUM! I am drooling and think I need to throw a New Years party just so I can serve some of these!
ooh caramel toffee dip! oh my I am going to the store today to get everything to make that. I am always looking for new ways to get the kids to eat fruit. Even if they have to dunk it in sweetness! I made the pizza bites a few weeks ago and they were a big hit.
I made a bunch of these for the BYU football game last week. I got rave reviews about the teriyaki bacon chicken skewers and the roasted red pepper dip. I can't wait to try some more of these.
This is a terrific roundup of ideas for the holidays and future.
Yummm, I made the bacon wrapped little smokies last night to take with us for New Years. The Cinabon popcorn is AMAZING, everyone loved it. I keep printing out your recipes to try and now I see some new ones to add!
Happy New Year
I went to a baby shower a few months ago and they had little Dixie cups (3 oz size) with three (or so) Tablespoons of Ranch in the bottom and julienne cut (sliced long way) veggies sticking out. WAY easier than that blob of ranch or other dip on the plate.