Cold Appetizers for Parties

When you have party at home, and you want to be a part of it, deciding to prepare and serve cold appetizers is a good idea. These appetizer recipes can be prepared in advance, refrigerated, and simply served when required. It is a great alternative to standing and preparing appetizers and other party food when the rest of the party is having a good time, and you are not a part of it. The great thing about cold appetizers is that most of them can be made even a day in advance, that gives you time to look into other preparations for the party you are hosting.

The deal with any of these appetizers is that the longer you prepare them in advance, the tastier they will be when you serve them. However, don't go any sooner than 1 day to prepare these. Usually, a couple of hours in advance is a good time to prepare these appetizers.

Mozzarella and Pepper Skewers - Makes 16 Servings

Ingredients

• Mozzarella Cheese, cubed, 16 pieces
• Yellow Peppers, roasted, 2 (each cut into 8 squares)
• Cherry Tomatoes, 16
• Fresh Basil Leaves, 16
• Italian Vinaigrette Dressing, ⅓ cup

Procedure
On 16 small wooden skewers, put the peppers, followed by the cherry tomatoes, a basil leaf, and finally by the mozzarella cubes. Place them in a tray, and pour the vinaigrette over them. Allow these skewers to marinade in the dressing for about 20 minutes, at room temperature. Keep turning the skewers so that the ingredients are marinated well. When ready to serve, discard the marinade and place the skewers in a fresh, clean dish.

Tortilla Ham Wrap - Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

• Large Flour Tortillas, 1 package
• Sliced, Cooked Ham, 2 packages
• Mayonnaise, ⅓ cup
• Green Onions, chopped, 2 tbsp
• Black Olives, chopped, ¼ cup
• Softened Cream Cheese, 16 oz.

Procedure
To make the stuffing, in a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, olives, green onions, and cream cheese. On the top of a tortilla, spread a layer of this mixture. Place ham slices over the spread, and roll each tortilla tightly. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of three hours. When ready to serve, cut the wrap into thin slices, diagonally.

Turkey Spirals - Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

• Turkey, cooked and shredded, ½ cup
• Ripe Olives, chopped, 1 tbsp
• Pimentos, drained and diced, 1 tbsp
• Softened Cream Cheese, 2 oz
• Ranch Salad Dressing, 2 tsp
• Green Chillies, chopped, 3 tbsp
• Cilantro, minced, 1 tbsp
• Tortillas, 2

Procedure
Combine together the turkey, olives, pimentos, cream cheese, salad dressing, green chillies, and cilantro in a large bowl. Spread this mixture liberally on a tortilla, roll tightly, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, and cut into 12 pieces to serve.

Crab Stuffed Cucumbers - Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

• Cucumber, 1 large
• Mayonnaise, 4 tbsp
• Onion, finely grated, 1 ½ tsp
• Crab Meat, 1 can (6 ½ oz.)
• Tabasco, 5 dashes
• Salt, 1 large pinch
• Sugar, ½ tsp

Procedure
To make the stuffing, combine together the crab, onion, salt, sugar, Tabasco and, mayonnaise. Take the cucumber and cut off the ends. Use a corer to remove the seeds of the cucumber, and cut it into 3 large pieces. Fill the cavity in the cucumber with the crab stuffing, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting into ½ inch slices and serving.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Garlic Dip - Makes 2 Cups

Ingredients

• Cream Cheese Spread, 1 tub (8 oz)
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes, ½ cup
• Garlic, minced, 1 clove
• Black Pepper, freshly ground, 1 tsp
• Fresh Chives, finely chopped, 2 tbsp
• Mayonnaise, ½ cup

Procedure
Simply combine together all ingredients in a bowl and chill. Serve with fresh, raw vegetable sticks or cubes, or with crackers as one of the best appetizers for a party.

With these cold appetizers, you are sure to have your guests enjoy thoroughly, and the best part is, you will be able to watch them relish each appetizer! So prepare one or more of these appetizers and have a blast!