Need hors d'oeuvres ideas

[TechWife]

We are having a small group of vaccinated friends over this weekend. Others are bringing light finger foods and desserts. We committed to providing heavy hors d’oeuvres. There won’t be a meal, just lots of snacking and talking. 

The only things I can think of to make are the old standbys like ham & cheese sliders, small quiche, meatballs. I’d love to get some other ideas for easy to manage hearty food to have.    Hit me up with some unique, interesting ideas, please. Links to recipes/instructions would be helpful, too. 

[theelfqueen]

Bacon wrapped weenies or bacon wrapped dates are always good. Fried tortellini is always a hit. Charcuterie can be fun! 

[footballmom]

Do you live near a Trader Joe’s? They are the champion of hors d’oeuvres.  Buffalo chicken dip, walking tacos (chili poured into individual bags of Frito’s) and taco dip are heartier appetizers as well that are something different.  

[MooCow]

Nachos, mini quiche, little smokies in bbq sauce, deviled eggs with bacon bits on top

[Carol in Cal.]

Tortellini Alfredo holds very well in a chafing dish and can be eaten with toothpicks.  It’s quite filling.

Clam dip family recipe:

1 can minced clams, drained, fluid reserved

8 oz block of room temperature cream cheese

3 tablespoons or more of the clam juice

2 tsp. Lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp Worcheshire sauce

1/4 tsp white pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients, and then chill.  Serve with barbecued potato chips or wheat thins.  Very filling and everybody love it.

[alisoncooks]

9 minutes ago, footballmom said:

Do you live near a Trader Joe’s? They are the champion of hors d’oeuvres.  

We always do appetizers for New Years, and we always include stuff from TJs. We like the chicken samosas. 

We like hot dips and sliced baguette (pizza dip, buffalo chicken dip). 

Also, I’m southern, so finger foods always include pigs in a blanket (courtesy of crescent rolls) and sausage-cheese balls (a la Bisquik). 
 

[Frances]

Maybe check out the Pioneer Woman website for ideas. The majority of her recipes are very hearty. One possibility is some sort of chicken skewers, either Thai curry with peanut sauce or teriyaki flavored.

Personally, I find a good guacamole hearty because the high fat content makes it very filling. My shortcut is to buy it from Baja Fresh, but then supplement heavily with the pico de gallo and chopped cilantro from their salsa bar and also add fresh lime juice and salt to taste. Many people have told me it’s the best they’ve ever had when I bring it to parties. Serve with blue corn tortilla chips to dress it up a bit.

Edited December 2, 2021 by Frances

[Storygirl]

I make a pizza bread (or stromboli), inspired by the Pioneer Woman. I looked on her website and can't find it exactly, but she has other stromboli recipes posted, if you want to see photos and get ideas.

I buy Rhodes frozen pizza dough. I follow the directions for following one (or two, if I'm making double) of the loaves, and I let it rise. Then I roll it out, using flour to prevent sticking to the rolling pin, until it's a large rectangle shape. I sprinkle some shredded mozzarella, then layer pepperoni, then add more cheese. I fold in the short ends slightly to close up the ends, then I start on the long end and roll it up, jelly roll style, and pinch it closed. Place it on a foil or parchment covered sheet pan. Using a serrated knife, slash the top of the bread every two inches or so. I add some Italian seasoning to some olive oil and brush over the top, sometimes also sprinkling with parmesan. Then bake until done. I believe the Rhodes package has the directions for the temperature and time when making pizza bread. When done, slice and enjoy.

You can make this ahead, then pop in the oven to reheat at party time.

I also have made and would consider some of the things already mentioned -- ham and cheese sliders are always a hit; sausage balls, meatballs in red sauce. I have other appetizers that we like, but these are the meaty ones that could count as heavier. That reminds me that I saw Ina Garten making kielbasa recently as an appetizer. We like it for dinner, and I think it could be an easy and popular appetizer. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/kielbasa-with-mustard-dip-11926660

[Harriet Vane]

In our family, Polish pierogi are the thing we all love. Not sure what you've got available in your neck of the woods--we usually get pierogis and kielbasa at a Polish deli. Fry the pierogis in butter. Yum!

[Carrie12345]

I 100% support frozen options, with the key being to look for ones that use the SAME TEMPERATURE OVEN.

Alternately, batch cooking in advance and holding everything or nearly everything in chaffing dishes and/or crock pots.

The concept of an hors d’oeuvres party is my heaven. Spending all my tiime managing “fresh from the oven” options on multiple things is my hell. I want to park my butt to eat, drink, and be merry.

[Kassia]

7 hours ago, Storygirl said:

I make a pizza bread (or stromboli), inspired by the Pioneer Woman. I looked on her website and can't find it exactly, but she has other stromboli recipes posted, if you want to see photos and get ideas.

I buy Rhodes frozen pizza dough. I follow the directions for following one (or two, if I'm making double) of the loaves, and I let it rise. Then I roll it out, using flour to prevent sticking to the rolling pin, until it's a large rectangle shape. I sprinkle some shredded mozzarella, then layer pepperoni, then add more cheese. I fold in the short ends slightly to close up the ends, then I start on the long end and roll it up, jelly roll style, and pinch it closed. Place it on a foil or parchment covered sheet pan. Using a serrated knife, slash the top of the bread every two inches or so. I add some Italian seasoning to some olive oil and brush over the top, sometimes also sprinkling with parmesan. Then bake until done. I believe the Rhodes package has the directions for the temperature and time when making pizza bread. When done, slice and enjoy.

You can make this ahead, then pop in the oven to reheat at party time.

I also have made and would consider some of the things already mentioned -- ham and cheese sliders are always a hit; sausage balls, meatballs in red sauce. I have other appetizers that we like, but these are the meaty ones that could count as heavier. That reminds me that I saw Ina Garten making kielbasa recently as an appetizer. We like it for dinner, and I think it could be an easy and popular appetizer. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/kielbasa-with-mustard-dip-11926660

I make something very similar and everyone loves it.  

I take Pillsbury French Bread dough (you can use pizza dough), 2 cups of shredded mozz, and a pound of bulk sausage (I buy Bob Evans roll).  I flatten out the dough, add the cooked/drained sausage and cheese, and roll it up jelly roll style and pinch the ends.  I cut a couple of slits in it and bake it at 350 for 30 mins and then let sit for 10 before slicing.  We also make ahead and freeze/thaw but it is very dense and takes forever to reheat thoroughly!  

 

I should try the sausage balls  - I always see them mentioned.  

 

[mlktwins]

Mini crab cakes, although crab meat is very expensive.  

[marbel]

Pesto Palmiers:   https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/savory-palmiers-recipe-1949130  

Ham, Gruyere, and Dijon Palmiers:  https://www.splendidtable.org/story/2008/12/20/ham-gruy-re-and-dijon-palmiers

Goat cheese and salami stuffed dates:  https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/stuffed-dates-goat-cheese-salami  I have not tried this, just discovered this recipe last night. 

No recipe link but I used to simmer kielbasa rounds in red wine and serve with toothpicks.

Italian sausage in puff pastry:  https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/pork/italian-sausage-in-puff-pastry.html

Mini quiches from Costco or Sam's Club. 

A bunch of ideas:  https://www.epicurious.com/recipes-menus/finger-food-recipe-ideas-gallery

I love appetizers and love making a meal of them. 

 

[Scarlett]

You have lots to pick from here…..Pioneer woman’s olive cheese bread is a big hit….easy to make and very filling.  
 

A pretty and delicious one I love is room softened cream cheese on a serving plate.  Drizzled generously with honey, sprinkled with chopped pecans and served with pita chips.  

[whitestavern]

These are amazing and always fly off the plate https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/flaky-reuben-bites/c45f6cee-126c-4fab-9cb9-0b9011f5e5f0

[catz]

Baked brie in puff pastry.  Cheese fondue.  Or you can do a mexican style cheese dip too.  Spinach and artichoke dip.  All 3  these would work well with a bread, cracker, crudite tray, etc for dipping

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a57633/baked-spinach-artichoke-dip-recipe/

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/baked_brie/

For heavy appetizers I like either something that will hold heat reasonably well/ok at room temp or that can travel in a crock pot or whatever so you're not doing much prepping during the event or needing to pull things in and out of the oven.  Just something to think about!  Chicken wings in a crock pot are good too, you can do those with various flair.  I might do a meat and a cheese one with dippers if everything else might be light.

Edited December 2, 2021 by FuzzyCatz

[MooCow]

I am so stealing some of these wonderful ideas for our annual new year's eve party!

[kbutton]

"Party Footballs" is good. It's a euphemism for some of the more common names, as one of the nicer ones is called crap on a cracker. I would have to dig out my recipe, but I think it's a pound of sausage, a pound of beef, and cheese that melts well (velveeta is one option, but I bet a good quality American cheese would work). From there, you have options--you can put it on little bread squares (rye or brown bread is nice) and brown it in the oven, or it can be a hearty dip for crackers. A guest chose to scoop it up with tortilla chips, and that became a favorite way to serve it for a while for us.

Pampered Chef had a recipe for tomato basil squares that was really good. You use pillsbury pizza dough, roma tomato slices, chopped basil, mozarella and parmesan cheese, and something with mayo--seems like it was mayo, basil, and parmesan that you spread before putting down the tomato slices and the mozarella. It's very tasty.

Bacon wrapped water chestnuts

 

[Tanaqui]

Pitted dates, stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped in bacon and baked. IF you can serve them hot, that is.

Mini bell peppers stuffed with hummus or guac.

Fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, rolled basil leaves - aka "caprese salad on a stick". If you like, you can do the same thing with feta instead of mozzarella and pitted kalamatas instead of or in addition to the basil.

Devilled eggs, of course.

Fried cauliflower "wings"

[Storygirl]

You can also stuff mini bell peppers with Boursin cheese. Just slice in half and cut the stems off, then fill the cavity.

[WildflowerMom]

I have this bookmarked to try.  It's kind of a fancy twist on ham & cheese sliders. 
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/sunnys-hot-ham-and-cheese-wreath-5505883

these pinwheels are also bookmarked to try. 
https://www.plainchicken.com/crack-chicken-pinwheels-football-friday/

[PeterPan]

16 hours ago, TechWife said:

Hit me up with some unique, interesting ideas

You can rent a chocolate fountain and run cheese sauce in it. Don't ask me why I always know the most fattening options. 😂

If you want to buy instead of renting, this is where I got mine. https://www.sephrausa.com/  Very quiet, very smooth, works great. And you can get them rated for both chocolate (white or regular) and cheese. Yum. If you want to rent, that would be through a wedding/party supply vendor. 

That way you have one big thing and just gathering the doodads to dip. Or I love @Storygirl's suggestion of stromboli type rings. You can do them in ham&swiss as well as pizza, so then it's still one thing with variations.

Have you ever had pizza fondue? I haven't had it but it seems popular. You could run that in two crockpots surrounded by bread.

Edited December 2, 2021 by PeterPan

[Kassia]

18 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Don't ask me why I always know the most fattening options. 😂

 

This is why I love your posts! 

[dsmith]

20 hours ago, Storygirl said:

I make a pizza bread (or stromboli), inspired by the Pioneer Woman. I looked on her website and can't find it exactly, but she has other stromboli recipes posted, if you want to see photos and get ideas.

I buy Rhodes frozen pizza dough. I follow the directions for following one (or two, if I'm making double) of the loaves, and I let it rise. Then I roll it out, using flour to prevent sticking to the rolling pin, until it's a large rectangle shape. I sprinkle some shredded mozzarella, then layer pepperoni, then add more cheese. I fold in the short ends slightly to close up the ends, then I start on the long end and roll it up, jelly roll style, and pinch it closed. Place it on a foil or parchment covered sheet pan. Using a serrated knife, slash the top of the bread every two inches or so. I add some Italian seasoning to some olive oil and brush over the top, sometimes also sprinkling with parmesan. Then bake until done. I believe the Rhodes package has the directions for the temperature and time when making pizza bread. When done, slice and enjoy.

You can make this ahead, then pop in the oven to reheat at party time.

I also have made and would consider some of the things already mentioned -- ham and cheese sliders are always a hit; sausage balls, meatballs in red sauce. I have other appetizers that we like, but these are the meaty ones that could count as heavier. That reminds me that I saw Ina Garten making kielbasa recently as an appetizer. We like it for dinner, and I think it could be an easy and popular appetizer. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/kielbasa-with-mustard-dip-11926660

Dh recently made a batch of stromboli and it was delicious! He stuffed them with mozzarella, pepperoni , roasted red peppers and some thinly sliced chicken italian sausage that he browned a bit. We sliced it a bit thin and arranged the slices around a bowl of marinara. It was a big hit for movie night. It's definitely going on our Christmas eve menu.

[dsmith]

11 hours ago, whitestavern said:

These are amazing and always fly off the plate https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/flaky-reuben-bites/c45f6cee-126c-4fab-9cb9-0b9011f5e5f0

I'm definitely trying this!! In the past we've made mini reubens using the cocktail or party size rye bread. (I think the slices are about 2" square or so.) We do them open-faced and pop them under the broiler until the cheese is melted. 

[whitestavern]

48 minutes ago, dsmith said:

I'm definitely trying this!! In the past we've made mini reubens using the cocktail or party size rye bread. (I think the slices are about 2" square or so.) We do them open-faced and pop them under the broiler until the cheese is melted. 

Tip: use a serrated knife to cut them - otherwise they get a bit smooshed. Hope you like them!

[Acadie]

22 hours ago, alisoncooks said:

We always do appetizers for New Years, and we always include stuff from TJs. We like the chicken samosas. 

We love the TJs vegetarian samosas as an appetizer. They're already browned so you just heat in the oven and serve--everyone loves them.

I also like cream cheese on Simple Mills almond crackers (we get them at Costco) topped with smoked salmon. You can get fancy with a sliver of red onion and/or dill, but it's delicious with just the cream cheese and salmon. 

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, dsmith said:

He stuffed them with mozzarella, pepperoni , roasted red peppers and some thinly sliced chicken italian sausage that he browned a bit.

Ooo, that is seriously stepping it up! Totally saving that list. 😄 Btw, what did he use for the dough? 

Edited December 3, 2021 by PeterPan

[Faith-manor]

I like to do mini-quesadillas. Instapot chicken breast with enchilada sauce, shred, layer with queso, shredded cheese in between to flower tortillas, brown on each side (it does take a little work to flip so I tend to brown each tortilla, then fill, and then out in the of covered in order to get melty), and cut into 8ths.

[dsmith]

2 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Ooo, that is seriously stepping it up! Totally saving that list. 😄 Btw, what did he use for the dough? 

He makes his own pizza dough, so he decided to use that recipe. I'm not sure where he got the recipe from, but it's good! We do a pizza night the 2nd Saturday of the month and we like to make thin crust bar pies. He rolled out the dough the same thinness, and he wasn't sure if it would be too thin for stromboli, but we all loved it like that. I've had stromboli that's too doughy, this was perfect.