Cold Appetizers for a Crowd

Making delectable appetizers in large amounts, and that too on your own is easier said than done. Indeed, deciding yummy starter recipes for a crowd can be quite confusing, even for experienced party hosts. A better choice for serving large number of guests is selecting easy appetizers that you can serve cold. At least, you have the choice of preparing them the night before and keep in the refrigerator for chilling. Following are some simple easy cold appetizer recipes, which you can try out in your next party.

Stuffed Eggs for a Crowd
Ingredients

• 24 eggs, boiled
• 4 tablespoons of minced onion
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons of mustard
• 4 tablespoons of sweet pickle
• 2 tablespoons of sweet pickle juice

Directions for Preparation

An easy-to-cook, yet tasty finger food for a crowd is deviled eggs. Peel the boil eggs and cut them lengthwise. Take out the yolk part in a bowl and keep the white halves in a tray. To the bowl containing egg yolk, add onion, mayonnaise, mustard seeds, sweet pickle, and pickle juice. Combine well the ingredients or blend them in an electric mixer. Fill this yolk mixture into the while halves. You can chill these stuffed eggs in the fridge. This make ahead appetizer recipe is best served after seasoning with paprika.

Olive and Cheese Appetizer for a Crowd
Ingredients

• 1 pound olives (both black and green)
• 1 pound cheese (assorted)
• 1 pound canned meat (Spam)
• ½ pound pickles

Directions for Preparation

This is one of the yummy cold appetizers for a crowd, which you can prepare with less effort. Prepare the cheese and Spam by cutting them into bite sized cubes. For small pickles, add like that in the recipe. In case of large pickles, you may prefer cutting them into smaller pieces. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and toss well. Keep in the refrigerator for one day for better taste. Your quick appetizer for a crowd is ready. Next day, serve in platters with toothpicks.

Teriyaki Meatball for a Crowd
Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
• 3 teaspoons chopped ginger root
• Seasoning spices as per taste

Directions for Preparation

To start with making meatball appetizer recipe, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Take a large mixing bowl and combine together all the ingredients listed above - ground beef, garlic powder, onion, teriyaki sauce, ginger, and seasoning spices. Make 1 ounce meatballs and place them in a baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 - 30 minutes. Allow meatballs to cool down and keep in the refrigerator.

You can serve them cold with toothpicks or reheat next day by placing in a preheated oven for 5 minutes. Either way, they taste delicious. The ingredient quantity for this easy appetizer for a crowd can be adjusted according to taste and the number of guests coming in the party. One pound of ground beef is sufficient for making 16 (1 ounce) appetizer meatballs. Accordingly, you can increase the meat amount as well as the remaining ingredients.

Tortilla Pinwheels for a Crowd
Ingredients

• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 can (4 ¼ ounces) chopped ripe olives
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• 4 ounces chopped green chilies
• 5 flour tortillas (10 inches)
• Garlic powder to taste
• Salt to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnishing

Directions for Preparation

Another party appetizer idea for serving a crowd is making tortilla pinwheels. Take a large bowl and add the ingredients - sour cream, olives, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, onion, chilies, garlic powder, and salt. Whisk the mixture for even mixing. In a platter, lay the tortilla, spread the filling mixture. Roll it tightly, twist the ends and wrap with a clean plastic sheet. Repeat the same for the remaining 4 tortillas. Chill them in the refrigerator for several hours. Before the party, you can unwrap the plastic foil and cut the filled tortilla into ½ inch thick pieces. Sprinkle parsley at the time of serving.

With the option of serving easy cold appetizers for a crowd, you can spend quality time with your friends, rather than busying yourself with making starters in the kitchen. So, try out the above mentioned easy appetizers for large groups, and begin your party meal with tasty starters.