Easy Party Appetizer Ideas

Cheesy Bread

• 1 loaf Italian or French bread
• Swiss cheese
• Cheddar Cheese
• 1 c. butter (depending on your size loaf)
• 1 small onion, chopped fine
• 1 Tblsp. poppy seeds
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 small jar olives, chopped, (optional)

Slice the loaf 3/4 of the way through and place on aluminum foil. Alternate slices of Swiss and Cheddar in the cuts in the loaf.

Melt butter in a small saucepan, add chopped onion, poppy seeds, garlic, lemon juice, and chopped olives. Add the mustard powder last, (because it will thicken everything.) Take off heat and spoon into the cuts in the loaf, then pour remaining over top. Wrap in foil and bake at 350 for a half hour. Then open the foil and let it cook for 5 to 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and use a big knife to slice it all the way through the loaf in chunks. Serve immediately.

Sausage Balls

• 1 lb sausage
• 1 1/2 cups Bisquick
• 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients together. Roll into 1 inch balls. Spray cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 min.

Sausage and Pineapple

• 1 1/2 lb fresh sausage links (small size)
• 1 large can pineapple chunks

Cook sausages until done. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Place in crockpot or pan with pineapple and juice. Simmer or cook in crockpot several hours. Good dish for brunch.

Sausage and Stuffing Appetizers

• 1/4 c. butter
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 box Stove Top Stuffing mix for pork
• 1 egg
• 1/4 lb. sausage
• 1 lb. bacon

Melt butter with water. Stir in stuffing, add egg and sausage. Blend with hands. Chill one hour or so. Shape into balls. Cut bacon in thirds. Wrap and insert toothpick. Cook at 375 for 35 minutes.

Party Pizza Appetizers (Makes 90)

• 1 lb. hot sausage, cooked, drained and crumbled
• 1 c. onion, chopped
• 1/2 c. sharp cheese, grated
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan Cheese(from wedge)
• 1 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
• 3 cans flaky biscuits (Hungry Jack brand)

Combine all ingredients, except biscuits. Separate each biscuit into 3 pizza rounds and place on cookie sheet. Spread each with mixture. Put cookie sheet in freezer and freeze. Remove from cookie sheet and store in plastic bags. Bake frozen pizzas at 425 for 10 min. Great for a cocktail party.

Also see Ways to Make Pizza

Sausage Snacks Italiano

• 8 oz can Pillsbury Quick Crescent Dinner Rolls
• 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 8 Brown and Serve sausage links

Separate crescent dough into 4 rectangles; press perforations to seal. Combine cheese and oregano; sprinkle over dough. Cut each rectangle crosswise to form 2 squares. Place a sausage link on each square; roll up. Cut each roll into 3 to 4 pieces. Secure each with a toothpick. Place cut side down on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Refrigerate any leftovers. Yield: 2 dozen appetizers.

Little Smokies

• 2 pkgs. little smokies
• 1 bottle chili sauce
• 1 small jar grape jelly

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 1-2 hours or until heated through.

Cocktail Meatballs

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup minced onions
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 Tblsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Sauce:
1 (10 oz) jar grape jelly
1 (12 oz) bottle chili sauce

Mix together and form balls. Brown in 1/4 cup oil. Pour off excess fat. Heat on top of stove 1 jar grape jelly plus 1 jar chili sauce, stirring constantly. Add meatballs and simmer for 1/2 hour. Serve in fondue pot or slow cooker to keep warm.
Makes 5 dozen. BBQ sauce can be used instead of jelly and chili sauce.
Recipe from a 2001 Cedar County recipe book, Hartington, Nebraska

Stuffed Meatballs (microwave)

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp. steak sauce
• 28 cocktail onions
• 18 oz jar grape jelly
• 1/3 cup prepared yellow mustard

In medium bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, egg and steak sauce; mix well. Shape 1 tbsp. beef mixture around an onion; roll into ball. Repeat with remaining beef mixture and onions.

Arrange meatballs in a 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish. Cover with wax paper; in microwave, cook on high 3 minutes. Rearrange meatballs; cover; cook on high 1 to 3 minutes, until firm. Let stand, covered, 3 minutes.

In a large glass bowl, mix jelly with mustard. Cook on high 1 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until jelly is melted and mixture blended. Add meatballs to sauce; cook on high 2 minutes to heat through. Makes 28 meatballs.

Cheese and Bacon Appetizers

• 1/2 lb grated sharp cheddar
• 1/2 lb bacon, fried and crumbled
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1 c. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 loaf party rye bread

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients and spread on bread slices. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 8 to 10 minutes. These freeze well after baking. Reheat and serve.

Won Ton Appetizers

• 1 tube Jimmy Dean Sausage (Hot and Spicy)
• 2 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can chopped black olives
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Ranch dressing
• 1 pkg. Won Ton wrappers

Mix the sausage, cheese, olives and cayenne pepper. Add enough ranch dressing to coat mixture. Place muffin papers in muffin tins. Lay a single Won Ton wrapper in each paper. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of mixture into wrapper. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes.
Recipe from a 2001 Catholic Church recipe book from Hartington Nebraska

Blender Baked Stuffed Mushroom Caps

12 mushrooms, medium to large caps
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 slices bread
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1 bay leaf

Wash, pat and remove stems from mushrooms. Set caps aside. Put the oil, 1 slice of bread torn in pieces, garlic salt, oregano, basil and bay leaf into container. Press button 9 for 5 seconds. Tear into pieces the remaining slice of bread. Press button 11 for 35 seconds, remove cover and with motor running drop in torn bread and mushroom stems, stopping to push mixture down with rubber spatula if necessary.

Melt butter in skillet, add mushroom mixture and saute for 5 minutes. Stuff caps with sauted mushroom mixture. Set caps into a shallow pan that is well greased or has thin layer of beef broth so that the caps will not stick during baking. Bake in preheated oven at 375 for 12 to 20 min. Makes 4 servings.
Recipe from a 1970 Family Circle Cookbook

Also see Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed Mushrooms

• 2 lb. fresh mushrooms
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/3 cup onion, diced
• 1/2 cup mushroom stems, diced
• 1 small box frozen spinach
• 1/2 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1/2 lb. sausage

Clean mushrooms, cutting off stems. Saute onions and stems in butter. Cook sausage and drain. In saucepan, cook spinach, then drain. Mix all ingredients. Stuff mushrooms. Place in shallow greased pan. Bake at 350 for 15 min.

Stuffed Celery with a Zip

• 1 lb. celery
• 1/2 lb. sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
• 6 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 c. Jalepeno peppers, finely chopped
• dash of chili powder

Wash celery. In mixing bowl, blend cheeses, peppers and chili powder. Stuff celery. Serve with pride.