Hors d'oeuvre's anyone???

ap·pe·tiz·er

Function: noun

1 : a food or drink that stimulates the appetite and is usually served before a meal
2 : something that stimulates a desire for more

Doesn't that sound delightful....

On my my sister-in-law Mair's Facebook page, she asked for appetizer ideas...so I figured I'd share some of my favs. Everyone who knows me (esp. Maura & Sheila)...knows I can throw together a party in a matter of a half hr---LOL. Just give me 30---and we're good!


So here are some ideas...

Yummy & Easy Bruschetta

1. 1 french baguette (have the bakery slice it diagonally about 1/2 inch for you-that will save you time)
2. 1 large can of petite diced tomatoes
3. 1 packet of McCormick's Zesty Herb seasoning
4. 1 tablespoon of garlic
5. 1/2 tsp. of basil ( fresh is better but whatever you got)
6. 1 tablespoon of olive oil
7. 1/2 cup of of parmesan cheese
8. 1-8oz pkg of mozzerella
9. 1-60z pkg of provolone

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush both sides of each slice with the olive oil.
   
3. Drain half of the can of tomatoes of it's juices. Only half!
   
4. Combine all ingredients---minus the cheeses and olive oil in a small bowl.
   
5. Once mixed well, spoon mixture on top of bread evenly.
   
6. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on each slice.
   
7. Cover each with slices of the mozzarella and provolone.
8. Sprinkle some oregano on slices.
   
9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.

You can also top with pepperoni if you like, I like to top with some sprinkles of oregano

This is one of my favorites. It's cheap, easy & good! Let me know if you try it!


Reuben Dip

1 cup of lite mayo
1/4 cup of lite sour cream
1 cup of thousand island dressing
1-16oz can of sauerkraut (drained, rinsed and dried)
1/2 lb. of corned beef sliced thin and shredded
1 lb of swiss cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a small bowl combine sauerkraut, mayo, sour cream and dressing.
3. Spread mixture into 9x13 dish evenly
5. Spread shredded beef over mixture
6. Top with swiss cheese
7. Bake approx. 30-40 minutes til bubbly

* Serve with rye crackers

Deliciouso!!!



Fruit Salsa & Chips


1. 2 red apples cored and diced small
2. 1 granny smith apple, cored and diced small
3. 3 kiwis peeled and diced
4. 1 lb of strawberries, diced
5. 1/2 lb of raspberries diced
6. 1/2 lb of blackberries diced
7. 10 grapes (any color or even a mix) diced small
7. 2 tbsp of granulated sugar
8. 1 tbsp of light brown sugar
9. 1 jar of strawberry fruit preserves (you can also use Smucker's strawberry ice cream sauce topping instead)

Directions

1. Thoroughly mix all ingredients in bowl
2. Chill in fridge about 30 minutes.
3. Serve with Stacys Cinnamon Pita chips :)



Sausage with a Kick

Yaya ( THE BEST COOK EVER) gave me this recipe...I just added the onions and peppers...you can add or not depending on your preference

1. 2 Hillshire Farm Smoked beef sausage
2. 1 jar of cocktail sauce-any brand
3. 1 small jar of grape jelly
4. 1 bottle of BBQ sauce
5. 1/2 cup of water
6. 1/2 cup of ketchup
7. 1 small onion diced
8. 1/2 green pepper diced

Directions

1. Slice sausage into approx. 1/4 slices
2. Place in crockpot
3. Place the remaining ingredients in crockpot
4. Stir and cook on medium for 6-8 hrs.

* if sauce gets too thick while cooking you can just add a little water :)

This is sooo good... Great appetizer! However, this can also be a main dish if you want ...If you serve as main dish...try it over white rice, it's yummy!