Recipe: Cold Finger Foods / Appetizers (16 recipes)

Virginia ~ Here are some recipes for appetizers -- to be served cold or at room tempterature -- that were previously posted here on TRL as tried-and-true.


Spinach Dip in Hawaiian Round Bread
This is the one dip everyone asks for the recipe....
Makes 4 cups

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 pkg. KNORR Vegetable Soup and Recipe Mix
1 can (8 oz.) chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 scallions, chopped
1 Hawaiian Bread Round, scoop out middle to make a bowl and reserve

In a med. bowl, stir the spinach, sour cream, mayo, soup mix, water chestnuts and green onions until well mixed. Cover and chill 2 hours to blend flavors.

Stir before serving. Pour into a prepared round of Hawaiian Bread, serve with crackers and the scooped out bread pieces
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Gina,.Fla (11:31:30) : Strawberry Bread
Yields 2 loaves

2 10 oz. packages frozen strawberries, thawed
3 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
2 c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 c. veg. oil
1 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Drain strawberries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sugar. Make a hole in the center of mixture and pour in strawberries, oil, eggs, and pecans. Mix by hand until thoroughly combined. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake 40-60 mts.

Spread:
1/2 c. strawberry juice
1 8 oz. package cream cheese

Blend together the strawberry juice and cream cheese til spreading consistency. Serve as a spread for the cooled and sliced bread.
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Caramelized Walnuts

pound walnuts, about 1 3/4 cups
1 egg white
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 . Mix walnuts, egg white and sugar together in a medium bowl. Place on sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool, then break into pieces if necessary.
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Dates Wrapped in Bacon

2 boxes of pitted dates
2 packages of bacon

Cut bacon package in half, wrap a date in a bacon half and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, halfway thru baking turn them around so they bake completely. Drain, let them cool and arrange on a pretty dish with toothpicks.
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Marinated Mushrooms
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
2 teaspoons minced parsley
teaspoon dried tarragon
Mix all ingredients together. Let stand at room temperature, 6 hours if possible, to mellow flavors.
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Pineapple Cheese Spread

This makes 5 cups.

2 8 oz. cream cheese
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 c. chopped pecans
c. chopped green bell pepper
2 T. chopped green onion
1 t. Lawrey's Seasoned Salt
Soften cream cheese and mix with pineapple, nuts, green pepper and onions. Blend in salt and mix well. Pack into a crock and refrigerate to set or roll into a ball covered with crushed pecans. Serve with crackers.
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Crabmeat Pinwheels (Previously posted by Judy/AZ)
Makes 10 servings
6 large flour tortillas

2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 4 ounce can crabmeat, drained

Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, onions, red pepper, cheddar cheese and crabmeat. Spread thin layer of mixture on tortillas. Wrap individually in plastic wrap. Chill at least three hours or overnight. When ready to serve, cut into 3/4 inch appetizers.
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Wrap-and-Roll Basil Pinwheels (Previously posted by Judy/AZ)

Makes about 24 pinwheels

3 (7 - or 8-inch) flour tortillas
1 (5.2-oz.) carton Boursin Cheese or one 5-oz. container semi soft cheese with garlic and herbs
12 large fresh basil leaves
of a 7-oz. jar roasted red sweet peppers, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
4 oz. thinly sliced cooked roast beef, ham, or turkey
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise or salad dressing
Fresh basil leaves (optional)

Spread each flour tortilla with 1/3 of the Boursin cheese or semisoft cheese with garlic and herbs. Add a layer of the large fresh basil leaves to cover cheese. Divide roasted red sweet pepper strips between the tortillas; arrange roasted red pepper strips over the basil leaves 1 to 2 inches apart. Top with meat slices. Spread 1 teaspoon mayonnaise or salad dressing over the meat on each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas tightly, jell-roll style, enclosing the filling. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap. Chill the tortilla rolls in the refrigerator 2 to 4 hours to blend flavors.

To serve, remove the rolls from the refrigerator. Remove the plastic wrap from the tortilla rolls; cut each of the rolls into 1-inch slices (make diagonal slices, if desired). Garnish with the fresh basil leaves, if you wish. Skewer each of the cut tortilla rolls on frilly picks or on short decorative skewers, if desired.
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Sugared Spiced Nuts (Previously posted by Judy/AZ)
Makes about 4 cups
Active time: 10 min. Start to finish: 1 hr. (plus hr. cooling)

1 large egg white
1 teaspoon water
4 cups mixed salted roasted nuts (about 1 1/4 lb.)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 250F.

Whisk together egg white and water in a large bowl until frothy and stir in nuts. Stir together sugar and cinnamon and stir into nuts, coating well. Spread nuts in a lightly buttered large shallow pan and bake in middle of oven until dry, about 50 minutes. Cool and break into bite-size chunks.

Cooks' note:
Nuts keep in an airtight container at room temperature 5 days.

Gourmet
September 1999
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Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes (Previously posted by Judy/AZ)
Yield: 12-16 servings

2 pkgs. (one 8 ounces, and one 3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 pkg (.4 ounce) ranch salad dressing mix
3 dozen cherry tomatoes

In a mixing bowl, blend cream cheese, mayonnaise and salad dressing mix until smooth. slice a thin slice off tops of tomatoes and carefully remove insides; invert on paper towel to drain. Fill with cream cheese mixture.
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Strawberry-Cheese Ball (Previously posted by Judy/AZ)

1 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
cup chopped pecans
2 green onions, chopped

Mix in ball and refrigerate over night. Pour 5 oz. strawberry preserves over ball just before serving. Serve with a butter cracker such as Ritz.

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Spinach Roll-Ups (Previously posted by Judy/AZ)

2 boxes frozen spinach, defrost and squeeze out the liquid
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 cup Baco Bits
pkg Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Flour tortillas

Mix together first 5 ingredients. Spread on flour tortillas and roll up. Wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate overnight. Slice and serve.
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Shrimp Mold Spread (Previously posted by Judy/AZ)

Mold into a pretty mold -- appropriate to the event (for Christmas, I used a Christmas tree, for a birthday, maybe use a bundt cake pan and put candles on top....be creative). Serve with little pumpernickel or rye breads, French bread, or other such thing to spread it on.

1 lb shrimp, cubed
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese
can of tomato soup
1 envelope Knox gelatin
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup celery, chopped small
3 tbsp onion, chopped small

Heat tomato soup and add Knox -- stir until dissolved. Pour over cream cheese and mayo -- stir 'till smooth. Add rest of ingredients and pour into mold (I LIGHTLY spray it with PAM or other type of release first). Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. I made mine two days in advance Unmold (as if Jell-O mold) and serve as a spread. Don't plan on any leftovers. Even seafood haters LOVE this mold!

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Orange Glazed Cocktail Sausages (Previously posted by Judy/AZ)

1 package Lit'l Smokies (50 links)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate (undiluted)

Combine ingredients and heat until warm in microwave.
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Crab 'n Stuff (Previously posted by Judy/AZ)

8-oz. imitation or real crab meat
8-oz. cream cheese
Seafood or cocktail sauce

Combine cream cheese and crab. Shape in a ball. Pour seafood sauce over crab ball. Serve with wheat crackers.
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Spirited Apricot Brie (Previously posted by Judy/AZ)

cup apricot jam
1 Tablespoon grated orange peel
1 Tablespoon brandy or orange juice
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 piece brie cheese (about lbs.)

Thin baguette slices or water crackers

Mix jam, orange peel, brandy, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a shallow microwave-safe serving dish just large enough to also hold the brie.

Set brie in apricot sauce. Return to microwave oven and cook, uncovered, until the cheese is hot and slightly melted, about 1 minute; check at 20-second intervals.

Scoop cheese and apricot sauce onto the baguette slices. Makes 6 appetizer servings.