These little bits of meat and bread play a big role in entertaining guests. Many get intimidated by appetizers and resort to serving the microwavable kind. After all merely saying hors d’oeuvre is hard enough. This is unfortunate because the right kind of appetizer can make a party fun and memorable for guests and hosts alike.

Parties have themes, and if the appetizers that you serve must go with it – nachos with guacamole dip will look really out of place on a Hawaiian luau. You can start by looking at cookbooks and searching the Internet for recipes that match the theme you want to go with.

Some Asian foods have transcended their origin and go well with just about any theme. Crab Rangoon – a fried treat of creamed crabmeat wrapped in wonton – is one of these universal appetizers. Making authentic Crab Rangoon can be too much for a beginner. The easiest part is making the filling. You just mix crab meat with cream cheese and add minced garlic and onions along with a splash of soy sauce.

Crab Rangoon – A Party Favorite

You have the filling all ready. What next? Wrapping it is where it gets a little tricky. Wonton is a Chinese wrapper similar to phyllo dough used in Greek classics like Baklava and spinach pie. It is thin and delicate so you have to be careful handling it. It comes from the store in pre-cut squares. To make one Crab Rangoon, take a spoonful of filling and put it in the center of the wonton. Spread it out but take care not to spill any off the edges. Moisten the edges with water and fold the wonton in half creating a triangle – think mini turnovers. Push the edges together to seal. Keep made dumplings covered with a moist paper towel or any clean cloth until you are ready to fry. These are guaranteed to come from the fryer GBD – golden brown and delicious!

A Simpler Alternative

This is an Italian staple. Bruschetta is French bread slices topped with salsa. To make the topping, mix chopped tomatoes and basil with garlic and flavor with olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Let this mixture stand for 30 minutes. Lightly toast the bread on both sides and then top generously with the mixture you prepared earlier. Serve immediately to retain warmth and freshness but before you do, grate some parmesan cheese on top to give it that extra kick.

Also serve healthier options like crudites. Slice vegetables and serve with a variety of salad dressings as a dip. Another idea is simple crackers and cheese. Serve a variety of cheeses apart from cheddar and Monterey Jack to be unique. Don’t always play safe though. Once in a while, try to go out of your comfort zone.

Sweet and sour meatballs, are made by combining ground beef with milk, salt, egg, breadcrumbs, and onions. Add Worcestershire sauce to make your guests wonder at the unique taste. Roll bite-sized balls and brown them in a skillet. After draining them of fat and letting them sit to cool a bit, prepare a sauce of brown sugar, cornstarch, pineapple, vinegar and soy sauce on the same skillet you used to fry the meatballs – this is the secret to intense flavor. When the sauce has thickened, add back the cooked meatballs. Put in chopped green peppers and you’re done. The contrast of sweet and sour will thrill even the most discerning of palates.

You see, you are not limited to what you can find in the frozen foods section of the supermarket. Experiment with these suggestions and uncover a side of entertaining at home that you have not felt before. Wow your guests with your cooking prowess through the power of appetizers!

Author Bio: Michelle adores just spending free time inside the kitchen trying out completely new tasty recipes with the help of her slow cook recipes. One of her all time winter weather absolute favorites is chicken slow cooker recipes.

Category: Cooking
Keywords: Appetizers,great Appetizers,food Appetizers