Need cocktail party appetizer recipes!

[LolaLouise]

My friend and I are throwing a cocktail party this weekend and I am in charge of the food. Now, one place that I am not crafty would be the kitchen. I need some EASY appetizer and nibbly food recipes.
I don't just want to try some recipe site. I'd like to have recipes from people who actually like them!
Please, pretty please! I am so desparate!  

[Becky65301]

You can make a pan of "nacho dip", that's easy to do.

Let's see... 9 x 13 pan, or some sort of casserole dish.

Put down a layer of refried beans on the bottom.  

If you want to do meat, cook up some hamburger with taco seasoning and put a layer of that.

Then a layer of lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, cheese, whatever you want.  Serve with a big spoon and lots of tortilla chips on the side.

It's best to do the bean and meat layer first, even the day before, and just prep the other stuff.  Then right before the party, heat up the beans and meat (just maybe like 350 degrees for 20 minutes or so), take it out and add the veggie layers, so the bean layer is still warm underneath.  Yummy.

I was also at a party recently where they basically did this same thing... refried beans with taco seasoning mixes in, and the veggies, spread on tortillas and then they were rolled, then cut into bite-size pieces.  

You can roll up lots of stuff in a tortilla- you can do fresh veggies cut up really small and mixed in with cream cheese, ham and cream cheese, you can even really cheat and buy pre-made spread.  

[LolitaContrer]

I don't know what kind of atmosphere your party will have but we hame some chilli cheese tater tots in a pretty pie dish that everyone loves.  Just cook some frozen tater tot things in a baking dish, heat some canned organic chili over the stove, and grate a bunch of cheese.  put the tater tots in the pie dish, pour chili over the top, and sprinkle with lots of cheese, pop back in over for like 5 minutes to get all melty.  mmmmmm.....superbow l food

[memling]

Hi!  If you haven't already, check out my post a few notches below yours on this same board titled "Leftover Pizza Canapes."  They really come out looking swell and classy, like catered appetizers.  And not only a delicious treat but also a perfect conversation piece for a cocktail party - no one will know they were cut out from cold pizza until you tell them and then there will be peals of delight and admiration for your cleverness!  Now, I've never actually crunched the numbers on this project, price-wise, because the one time I did it I was just using leftover slices of pizza that I had on hand.  But figure one small pizza with two toppings (I recommend half something-and-something and half somethingelse-and-somethingelse) yields 24 hors d'oeuvres.  I guess that's about .50/each?  Remember to order the pizza the night BEFORE your party and refrigerate it.

And about the tater tots (brilliant suggestion), I always get raving reviews from my guests when I serve a platter of them plain, with  a frilly toothpick in each and an assortment of innovative sauces from which to choose for dipping.

And cocktail franks are fun to make with those tiny hot dogs and crescent roll dough from your grocer's refrigerated foods section!  Again, frilly toothpicks and fun sauces.

And for true cocktail swish, don't forget the dishes of savory-crunchies like smoked almonds, wasabi peas, etc.

Have a great party!

[Tracey]

  These may sound scarey but they are very good.  I have never ever even had one appetizer left over and have made them countless times!

    Bacon - Water Chestnuts

Take one can of whole water chestnuts and drain them, then cut them in half

Take a package of bacon anc cut it in half.

Line a baking dish with foil

Take a piece of chestnut and wrap it in a slice of bacon, secuiring it with a toothpick.

When all the appetizers are wrapped bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for 1/2 an hour.

Make a sauce using 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of ketchup, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of soy sauce.

After 1/2 an hour is up remove and drain the fat. Pour the sauce over, (or dip them individually) and bake another 1/2 hour

[LolaLouise]

 
Cocktail Party Success!
I used both the chili-cheese tator-tot recipe and the mexican dip recipes. They were verra, verra good. Also made chicken salad on croissant sandwiches. Also an easy-sneezy crab ball. I got that recipe from my mom. We also had bowls of olives, pickles, cheese, chips, crackers and dips. It was very much fun.
I can't wait to try the pizza recipe and the water chestnut recipe. LOVE water chestnuts.
Thanks for all the help!