5 great appetizer recipes for party season

By Meredith Deeds, The Minnesota Star Tribune (TNS)

To say that entertaining can be stressful isn’t breaking news. There are so many decisions to make, starting long before the day of the event. At first, you’ll probably have a lot more questions than answers.

For a host, the hope is that the answers result in a party that all your guests will enjoy. Of course, it’s even better when the host can have a little fun too, and in my experience, that comes down to time management.

My favorite type of party to throw is a cocktail party, where people can nibble on a variety of flavorful bites with one hand while holding a drink in the other. This type of get-together requires a number of different dishes to be served, so finding things that can be made ahead of time — in part or even entirely — is key. Luckily, it’s not hard to create a menu that will ensure that you won’t be standing over a hot stove as your guests arrive.

There are a few things to keep in mind when planning a cocktail party menu.

If you search online for “how much do people eat at a party?” you will quickly come across the “one pound rule,” meaning each adult guest will eat approximately 1 pound of food. While that sounds like a lot, a caterer I worked for in college always planned on each guest eating eight to 10 individual hors d’oeuvres at a cocktail party, which probably comes out to about the same weight.

I like to make sure the menu has a variety of textures, flavors and colors, and they all must be easy to serve, easy to eat and easy to make in advance. Today’s recipes are a few of my favorite party dishes.

Each can be made in advance, but together, they create a crowd-pleasing buffet of bites. I often add a spiral ham or other roast meat, along with rolls and condiments, as well as a big platter of crudités and a dip to round out the table and ensure that everyone leaves happy and sated.

Happy holidays and happy entertaining to you and yours.

Rustic Cheese and Balsamic Caramelized Onion Tart

Serves 6 to 8.

A creamy, cheesy filling makes the perfect backdrop for the sweet and tangy caramelized onions in this crowd-pleasing tart. You can make the tart in advance, freeze it and bake it off directly from the freezer. From Meredith Deeds.

• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 large yellow onions, cut into ¼-in. slices
• 2 tsp. sugar
• ½ tsp. salt, divided
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella
• ¼ c. grated Parmesan
• ¼ c. sour cream
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. water

Directions

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until onions are a deep golden brown. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook, stirring, for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, sour cream and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out into a 14- by 10-inch rectangle. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the dough, leaving a 1 ½-inch border. Spread the onions over the top of the cheese. Fold the uncovered pastry edges over the filling, making small pleats along the way.

Mix the egg and water and lightly brush around the edges of the pastry.

If making ahead: Place baking sheet in the freezer for at least 1 hour. When very firm, wrap in plastic wrap and foil and keep frozen for up to 1 month.

If baking immediately: place in refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking.

To bake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

Bacon and Cheddar Shortbreads

Makes 36 shortbreads.

Smoky bacon and sharp cheddar combine to give these savory shortbreads a sophisticated flavor. Like refrigerator cookies, these can be kept on hand in the fridge or freezer, ready to be sliced and baked on demand. From Meredith Deeds.

• 1 c. toasted pecans
• 4 slices crispy cooked bacon
• 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
• 16 oz. shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• Flaky sea salt

Directions

In a food processor, add the pecans and process until finely chopped, but not a paste. Add the bacon, butter, cheese, flour and cayenne and process until mixture forms a dough.

Divide dough in half and roll each half into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 3 days. (Can be frozen for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.)

To bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Working with one log at a time, cut the dough with a sharp knife into ¼-inch slices and arrange on parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with flaky salt and bake until pale golden and crisp, about 10 to 13 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet until firm, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool completely. Repeat with remaining log of dough.

Blue Cheese and Walnut-Stuffed Figs

Makes 24.

A fun play on the popular bacon-wrapped date appetizer rumaki, this high-class version is just the thing when you’re looking for something quick, easy and festive. Make them a day in advance and heat them up just before serving. From Meredith Deeds.

• 6 oz. blue cheese
• ¼ c. finely chopped toasted walnuts
• 24 dried mission figs, stems removed
• 12 thin slices prosciutto, sliced in half lengthwise

Directions

In a bowl, thoroughly combine the blue cheese and walnuts.

With a sharp knife, make a vertical cut into each fig, slicing down about halfway into the fig. Stuff a rounded teaspoon of the filling into the cavity of each fig. Wrap each with a strip of prosciutto and secure with a toothpick. At this point, you can cover and store the figs in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

To bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the figs on a baking sheet and bake until the prosciutto is slightly crisp and the filling is warm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the toothpicks and serve.

Rosemary Citrus Olives

Makes about 2 cups.

Marinated olives are quick and easy to pull together and bathing them in this Provencal-inspired marinade gives them a memorable flavor. These can be made well in advance and kept in the fridge. From Meredith Deeds.

• 12 oz. mixed olives
• 3 (1-in.) strips orange zest
• 3 (1-in.) strips lemon zest
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• ½ c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions

Place the olives, orange and lemon zest, rosemary, olive oil, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until herbs just begin to sizzle. Remove from the heat and let sit at room temperature for 5 hours.

Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Shrimp Salsa

Serves 6.

Sweet shrimp sings with the bright flavor of lime in this chunky salsa. While all the different elements can be prepared earlier in the day, this fresh salsa can be assembled up to two hours in advance. From Meredith Deeds.

• 1 lime, halved
• 1 lb. medium shrimp, (31 to 35 per lb.), peeled, deveined and cut into thirds
• 2 c. seeded and diced tomatoes
• ⅓ c. finely chopped red onion
• ¼ c. chopped cilantro
• 1 ripe medium avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
• ¼ c. fresh lime juice
• 3 tbsp. finely chopped pickled jalapeño
• 1 tsp. salt
• Lettuce leaves, for serving
• Tortilla chips

Directions

Squeeze the juice from the lime halves into a medium saucepan. Add 4 cups water and the 2 juiced lime halves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp, place cover on the saucepan and immediately remove from heat. Let the shrimp cook in the covered pan for 3 minutes. Drain the shrimp and plunge them in ice water to stop the cooking. Refrigerate the shrimp, covered, for up to 4 hours.

In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp with the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, avocado, lime juice, pickled jalapeños and salt. Serve immediately in a bowl lined with lettuce leaves, with tortilla chips on the side. The salsa can also be assembled up to 2 hours in advance and kept, covered, in the refrigerator.

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