Elegant Appetizers

These elegant appetizers for parties recipes can be served at any special occasion or dinner party. Showcase them at family gatherings, bunco groups, work parties, church pot lucks, graduation parties, bridal and baby showers. Appetizer recipes suit many special occasions, so enjoy them as often as you like!

Cheesy Asparagus strips

30 fresh asparagus spears, cleaned and trimmed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper to taste

Steam the asparagus just until tender. Cut 20 asparagus spears into 1 inch logs. Mash remaining spears. In a small bowl, combine mashed asparagus, mayonnaise, flour, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, mustard salt, pepper and lemon zest. Roll puff pastry sheets into 17 inch squares. Place 1/2 of mixture on each each square; top each with the cut asparagus logs. Fold the pastry in half and seal the edges. Brush the dough with beaten egg. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Cut into strips to serve (16 servings).

Calamata Crostini

1 cup pitted Calamata olives
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
anchovy paste (2" from tube)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 baguette French bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup (or more) mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine olives, oil, garlic, anchovy paste and parmesan cheese in a food processor until well blended; scrape down sides of the bowl. Spread the mixture on bread slices; top each with some mozzarella cheese. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Full Meal Gourmet Appetizers

It's probably no surprise to most people these days that with some creativity, gourmet appetizers can be a full meal whether served at a formal dinner party or at a restaurant. Some regard gourmet appetizers as the highlight of a meal. Also, they're usually served in more informal settings. Let's look at a couple of instances where your palate and stomach might get as much satisfaction from appetizers than a full course meal.

One example, which has actually been very popular in the United States for many years is dim sum at a Chinese restaurant. Dim sum is basically just that - a gourmet appetizer. There is a wide variety to select from. In lieu of ordering a full meal, a server comes around with a pushcart containing a wide variety of appetizers that you can select from. Typically, dim sum includes pork buns, pot stickers, egg rolls, and various types of dumplings that may include shrimp or pork. Some of these gourmet appetizers can be fried or steamed. There is also the option of ordering rice to accompany the appetizers. It is common to drink tea when eating dim sum.

       

Generally, dim sum is eaten during lunch or brunch rather than eating a main course from a menu. However, many of the same items that are served from the cart can also be ordered if you're ordering an entree from the menu though you may want to select fewer dim sum items in this case.

Another very popular gourmet appetizers for parties that is often eaten in lieu of a full meal is sushi. Like dim sum, pieces of sushi are another example of bite sized morsels that can be eaten in many varieties rather than a full course meal. Sushi has been traditionally served in Japanese restaurants although in recent years, sushi bars (i.e. that serve only sushi and beverages) have become very popular. The ingredients of these gourmet appetizers include prawns and raw tuna wrapped around rice balls and then dipped in soy sauce and horse radish to perk up the flavor of the morsel. At a sushi bar, you can typically order sushi rolls that are sliced up into bite sized pieces and individual pieces for as much as you can eat (and afford to spend!). Tea is also the preferred beverage when eating sushi. As with dim sum, you can order sushi as a gourmet appetizer preceding a full course meal if eating in a Japanese restaurant.

Images of Yummy Vegetable Appetizers

 

 

 

 

These are good vegetarian appetizers for parties that you can recommend to your friends and relatives for their occassion selection of foods.

Hearty Party - Easy Party Appetizers

Have you been selected to provide appetizers for parties at a large buffet gathering, or perhaps just requested to have some ready for several guests? Thankfully there is no need to panic, because there are many easy party recipes available. Although they look like they took hours to make, you can smile because they were simple, yet attractive creations that taste simply delicious.

  

Chilly Cold Appetizer Recipes

When deciding what kind of appetizers to serve, tasty cold appetizers often come to mind, which makes you very happy, as there are so many to choose from, with more recipes being developed every day. One of the things that make them special is that quite a few of the easy party appetizers are prepared without any baking, and are served chilled. Some of the examples are chicken salad, shrimp, tomatoes stuffed with canned fruits, berry tartlets, and many, many more. Get appetites geared up for more great food by starting them off with a cold appetizer recipe.

Appetizer seems like an odd expression for food until you think of its importance. It creates anticipation for family and guests alike by giving a hint of more delicious food to be served shortly. An appetizer starts the mind thinking of food, and presentation is one of the ways that happens. Tasting good is important, but looking good is even more important. You want people to bite into the appetizer without question, because anything that looks that good has got to taste that good. Tempting bites are the goal; those who say, "I really shouldn't" but do because it looks so yummy are the ones you can feel pleased with, because it means the appetizers are a success.

  

Baby It Is Cold Appetizer Recipes

Spring and summer are wonderful opportunities to try out your favorite cold easy party appetizers. Cold appetizer recipes are often make ahead items, giving you the opportunity to prepare them earlier. Desserts and entrees, which demand so much of your time, will be more relaxing to work on, knowing that the appetizers are completed and in the refrigerator chilling for their big presentation to your guests. You probably know this hint already, but it is always worth repeating. Make a few extra of each appetizer and put them on a special platter for your family to enjoy while everything else is being prepared. That usually keeps your featured creations from being eaten until it is time to bring them out.

So many easy party appetizers make it hard to choose what to make. A cold appetizer recipe sounds perfect, but hot appetizer recipes look really good to prepare, as well. What is the best thing to make for the occasion? Sometimes seafood appetizers seem like the perfect choice, till you see a colorful, easy mini-mini pizza appetizer. Are you out to impress, and if so, perhaps an exotic recipe or traditional appetizer for the holidays is what is called for.

It is certainly true that everyone has their favorite appetizer. You have an incredible choice of what you want to make. Be sure to look at the dip recipes, since a great dip makes anything taste good. When you know dinner is going to take extra time to serve, have a selection of your favorite cold appetizer recipes ready to offer your guests, knowing there is something to satisfy everyone.