Maybe not exciting but we are big fans of hummus. We have vegans amongst us so it satisfies them too.
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I do an asian-inspired one: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/creamy-wasabi-spread/
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I love hummus. It’s easy to make. I’ve made pumpkin hummus.
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This is also a delicious hummus and BEAUTIFUL! Would go good with those roasted vegetables or those vegetable “chips” you can buy.
https://www.livestrong.com/recipes/roasted-beet-hummus-2/
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I make my own habanero peach jam and jalapeño raspberry and I put either one on top of goat cheese and serve it with Firehook Sea Salt crackers. I also have red grapes as a snack. Sometimes with cheese, but often not. I also make ajvar (roasted red pepper relish). I use roasted eggplant in my recipe too. Some recipes don’t use.It’s great with flatbread. You can also buy a jar version. I like the Mama’s Homestyle the best.
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Bell peppers in different colors are pretty and taste good roasted too. Zucchini and similar can be cut in rounds and/or spears.
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My Ds sig other makes little smokies sausages wrapped with crescent roll strips, and baked for Thanksgiving appetizers. It has become a beloved tradition, though we are far more of the natural foods ilk. He taught us!
I make a baked brie, topped with honey, mustard and cranberry or raspberry sauce. Top with toasted slivered almonds and serve with crackers.
Sometimes I buy little triangles of frozen spanakopita to bake as appetizers.
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I make baked brie to take in the winter for an appetizer. I use this recipe, but change it up with different kinds of preserves, honey or whatever else I have on hand.
For my D’s rehearsal dinner we are trying to make the appetizers Covid easy. We eliminated the cheese and vegetable and hummus platter so we don’t have people hovering around the table.
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Sounds like what the OP is looking for - prepare ahead, refrigerate or freeze, no cooking/heating required to serve, finger food pick up and go.
For fun ideas, here are the cold appetizers from a local restaurant that also does catering:
COLD
Seared Ahi on a Cucumber Medallion
Seared Ahi Tuna on crisp cucumber round garnished with Wasabi soy aioli
Vegetarian Vietnamese Summer Spring Roll
Shitake mushrooms, carrots, jicama, Napa cabbage, Bibb lettuce, and mint, with sesame Chinese sauce, wrapped in rice noodle sheet, served with peanut sauce
Steak Tartare Baguettine
Freshly ground lean top sirloin plus our special sauce on baguette slice garnished with chopped egg
Grilled Flat Iron Steak Baguettine
On fresh toasted baguette bread with Boursin cheese and French Gourmet onion Chutney & creamy horse radish
Crostini, Artichoke Fondue
Artichoke hearts, sour cream, mayonnaise, cheese and seasoning baked on a slice of The French Gourmet’s baguette
Stuffed Mushrooms, Walnut & Bleu Cheese
Minced walnuts and bleu cheese blended together and piped into large mushroom cap
Oven Roasted Tomato Crostini Aioli on Ciabata
Plum tomatoes delicately roasted with olive oil and garlic, on a crisp seasoned baguette slice with aioli sauce
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My aunt always makes the cream cheese/cocktail sauce/crabmeat thing at Christmas, in a pretty silver dish and I have looked forward to it for about 40 years now. Funny! My sister lives in SC and they do the pepper jelly over cream cheese variant.
This is very easy, Betty Crocker, delish-party rye or pumpernickel slices (tiny) spread with a mix of mayo/dijon mustard/shredded cheddar. Bake in the oven til melty. So good.
You can roll anything up into puff pastry and then slice it for hand held appetizers. Puff pastry with ham and cheese rolled into a spiral and sliced. Puff pastry with mushrooms and cheese.
Arancini-risotto balls. My neighbor makes his own but I would just buy them from the deli and serve with sauce.
There are also little puff pastry and little phyllo dough cups and little tart cups. Any of them can be filled with pretty much anything (yogurt and fruit, lemon curd, ratatouille, creamed mushroom, quiche filling, etc.)
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I have done this with a chilli pepper jam or jelly poured over the cream cheese. It works well.
Homemade pimento cheese served with crostini.
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Recipe for homemade pimento cheese…please…
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PIMENTO CHEESE
Ingredients:
4 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese: coarsely grated
4 oz. medium cheddar cheese: coarsely grated
4 oz. pimentos or roasted red peppers: drained
(dice them if using roasted red peppers)
3-4 Tbsp. mayonnaise (depends on how much you
like; I like less rather than more)
½ tsp. salt (regular)
½ tsp. ground black pepper
NOTE: One cheese should be white and the other yellow or red. It doesn’t matter which; you just want a color contrast between the two types of cheeses.
Directions:
(1) Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl; mix the cheeses together before adding in the pimentos/roasted red peppers (I drain, but do not rinse the pimentos/roasted red peppers). Fold the ingredients together, and mix gently.
(2) Cover; chill.
(3) When ready to serve, transfer to serving bowl. (Can be made up to 3 days ahead.)
(4) Alternatively, you can use it to make grilled cheese sandwiches. (This amount of pimento cheese makes 4-6 grilled cheese sandwiches, depending on how much cheese you use for each sandwich, and how big the slices of bread are.)
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Sorry about the formatting!
After you mix the cheeses…you add the pimentos and Mayo ? Wondering about mixing in a food processor?
Wouldn’t that not give it its signature coarseness?
Also I would like some now…
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Correct. I put the grated cheeses in a large mixing bowl, and use my hands/fingers to mix them together; then I drain (but not rinse) the pimentos, and pour them in, and mix them in by hand also. After that, I add the 3 to 4 tablespoons of mayo, and mix it in with a wooden spoon. Then the salt and pepper.
I’ve never thought to use a food processor; I like the texture and appearance that I get with the hand mixing.
This recipe is one that I modified from a recipe I found at Food52, here: Parker & Otis' Pimento Cheese (+ Grilled Sandwiches with Bacon & Tomato) Recipe on Food52
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