Easy Appetizers

Planning for a party can be a lot of fun but at the same time, it can also be very taxing. The taxing part comes from arranging for food. It is not always possible to have sit-down parties. Often the guests mingle with one another. Therefore, finger food win hands down. In this write up, we will see some easy appetizer recipes which will be simple to make as well as easy to serve. At the same time, the guests will also relish them. If there are kids coming for the party, then you will have to also make delicious appetizers for kids. Most of the time, kids are more interested in playing as opposed to eating. Making something tempting will ensure that the kids also enjoy the food and not go back home hungry.

Quick and Simple Appetizers Recipes

Instead of making a number of main course dishes for a get-together, you can,instead, plan some quick appetizers for large groups which will not only save a lot of cooking time but will also be liked by the guests. There are a number of ideas for simple appetizers for a party which you can make use of. Among them are various Mexican, Italian and Oriental starter recipes. Let's learn some from the following segment.

Stuffed Mushrooms
If you have vegetarian guests over, then this is the best appetizer for them. It is great for a hungry crowd as it will fill up their growling stomachs. Let's see this amazing appetizer recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound mushrooms
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup walnuts
• 1 onion
• ½ cup parsley leaves
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• Salt to taste

Method

• Till all the other preparations are made heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grate the cheese coarsely.
• Chop off the stems of the mushrooms and finely cut the stems and keep them aside.
• Brush the mushrooms caps with melted butter.
• Place the mushrooms caps on a baking sheet upside down.
• In the mean time, roast the almonds a little.
• When the almonds have cooled down, chop the walnuts along with parsley leaves and onion.
• Take a frying pan and sauté the mushroom stems in a little butter.
• After the mushrooms are done, add the remaining ingredients to the pan and mix thoroughly.
• Fill the mushroom caps with this stuffing.
• Bake the mushrooms for about 15 to 20 minutes and serve them hot.
• If there are a number of guests coming, you can prepare the mushrooms by stuffing and freezing them a day in advance. Just before serving, you can bake them.

Chicken Bites
This is a great recipe for a quick appetizer. This recipe can also be packed as lunch for school or office. The best part about this recipe is that it can be made during any time of the year. This recipe can also be cooked when you decide to host a party at the last-minute as it makes for a really easy starter for a crowd.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts
• 11 ounce can of mandarin oranges
• 2/3 cup orange marmalade
• ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Method

• Make bite size pieces of chicken.
• In a resealable plastic bag, mix all-purpose flour, salt and pepper together.
• Put a few chicken pieces into the flour mixture and shake the bag well so that all the pieces are well-coated.
• Heat a skillet and add some butter to it.
• Add the chicken pieces to the skillet and let the chicken pieces cook till they are golden-brown in color and well cooked.
• In a saucepan, mix together marmalade, drained oranges and tarragon.
• Place the saucepan on medium heat and let the mixture come to a boil.
• Remove the chicken pieces on a bowl and pour the marmalade mixture on the chicken pieces and stir gently to coat the chicken pieces with the mixture.
• Now is the time to serve this delicious appetizer piping hot.

Bruschetta
If you are looking for cheap and easy starters then this Italian appetizer recipe is something you will want to try. It is good for a kids' party as well. There are different variations of this recipe but the following is the most basic recipe. It is simple and can be made instantly.

Ingredients

• 1 large ready to eat pizza crust
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
• Salt and pepper as per taste

Method

• While you do the other preparations, let the oven heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Finely chop garlic cloves.
• In a mixing bowl, mix together cheese, garlic, tomato, basil leaves, salt and pepper.
• Now spread the tomato and cheese mixture on the pizza crust.
• Place the crust on a baking sheet.
• Let the pizza crust bake for about 8 to 9 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, till the cheese has melted.
• Cut the bruschetta with a pizza cutter and serve hot.

These were some of the easy appetizers recipes. When you are making appetizers for a crowd, it is best to prepare a couple of different varieties of starters. This will ensure that you do not run short of food supplies and each guest has something according to his/her liking. If there are kids at the party, do remember to have pieces of plain bread for them along with some cut pieces of cucumber so that they also have something to eat and are not left hungry.