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Appetizer Suggestions

This is a selection of different appetizers. Obviously some are more suitable for a super bowl or summer barbecue style party, others for finger food buffet and others for a more formal dinner party. However, as the client, you get to choose what you like regardless of traditional rules. None of the 'spicy' dishes are like a five alarm chili, I always check for allergies and provide tent cards with name of dish, basic ingredients and a statement as to whether it does include any alcohol or nuts.

Mediterranean Tarts

Tiny fillo pastry shells with a filling of caramelized onions, roasted red pepper, sun dried tomatoes and artichokes, topped with a smidgeon of cheese and fresh basil when available.

Chicken Sateh

Bite sized chunks of boneless chicken breast cooked in a mildy spicy soy/ginger/sesame marinade. Served with a mildly spicy peanut sauce for dipping. This can be made far hotter but then your guests couldn't appreciate the other dishes served. This is a classic part of an Indonesian Rijstafel that I enjoyed while living in Holland.

Smoked Salmon spread

A blend of imported smoked salmon, cream cheese, seasonings and sherry. This can be piped onto thin slices of cucumber and garnished, made into mini celery boats, mixed with eggs to form stuffed eggs and garnished with tiny shrimp or more smoked salmon, piped into mini tarts or served on mini, hot cheese scones.

Taco Dip

That Super Bowl Favorite. A mildy spicy Mexican style cream cheese layer topped with grated cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes. Served with Tortilla chips.

Taco Cheese Ball

A variation of the above with the addition of grated cheddar to the basic cream cheese mix, formed into a ball or a log and coated in toasted pecans. Served with crackers.

Pepperoni Pizza dip

Your favorite pizza eaten as a dip. This is a hot cheese dip with Italian herbs, topped with pizza sauce, pepperoni, green onions, chopped bell peppers and finished with mozzarella cheese and baked until bubbly. Served with chips.

Genevieve's shrimp mold

This is a phenomenal shrimp mold of cream cheese, tomato, finely chopped raw vegetables, seasonings and huge shrimp chopped up. This is not made with canned shrimp or those tiny frozen shrimp that taste of cardboard, but with large fresh shrimp that retail for about $15.00/lb for an incredible taste sensation. Made in a decorative mold, turned out and garnished with whole shrimp, lemon whirls and cucumber slices as well as crackers.

Chicken Teriyaki

Bitesized cubes of boneless chicken breast marinated and then cooked in a sauce of honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and sesame seeds. The cooked sauce is then thickened and served as a dipping sauce.

Rosemary Onion Focaccia bread

Baked homemade pizza dough containing chopped rosemary, topped with caramelized onionsand golden raisins for a very sophisticated appetizer, that is also low fat.

Sun dried tomato focaccia bread

Baked homemade pizza dough topped with sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, artichokes, garlicky mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. Served hot and make sure to have plenty as it is very popular.

Asparagus roll-ups

Thin slices of bread are spread with a savoury butter (either blue cheese or garlicky), topped with cooked asparagus, rolled into a pinwheel and then broiled til brown.

Curried Chicken Balls

Chopped cooked chicken, cream cheese and seasonings (very mildy curried) are formed into bite sized balls and rolled in toasted almonds or coconut.

Swedish Meat Balls

Yet another favorite. Tiny meatballs cooked in a rich, creamy gravy and served hot. These are nothing like commercial meatballs.

Devilled Eggs

The original devilled eggs before they got made fancy. Just freshly hardboiled eggs with a touch of mustard and other seasonings and the yolks piped into the egg white shell.

Fancy Stuffed eggs

Take the above stuffed eggs but add shrimp, salmon, caviar, or pesto either in or on top of the egg yolk for an up beat variation.

Crab stuffed mushrooms

Either button mushrooms or baby portabello mushrooms are stuffed with a crab stuffing and baked. This is the way stuffed mushrooms should be, not just a dry herb stuffing.

Marinated Mushrooms

Mushrooms cooked and marinated in a not too vinegary herb dressing that is extremely moreish. Don't confuse these with the jars of vinegary pickled mushrooms available in the stores.

Chicken Wings
Chicken wings (I buy the chicken drumettes which are like mini drumsticks not the normal skimpy wings) cooked in a homemade barbecue sauce until meltingly tender and wonderfully sticky. The sauce can be spiced up if desired.

Chicken Liver Pate
This is a creamy, smooth chicken liver pate seasoned with herbs and spices with the addition of brandy for that extra touch. If you like pate, you'll love this one. Also made with the addition of toasted pistachios and dried cranberries for an interesting variation with some crunch.

Artichoke Dip
A baked dip of chopped artichokes, cream cheese and seasonings with a slight bite to it, served with baked pita bread chips.

Cheddar Gorge
A play on words. Named for the caves in England as well as our indulgence in eating it. Freshly made cheese ball including onion, chopped nuts, and plenty of pepper, served with guava jelly as a contrast to the bite.

Shrimp Fondue
A Hot creamy sauce served with chunks of bread and raw vegetables for dipping. My son loves this for dinner.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes stuffed with a pesto cream, or marscapone cheese and roasted red pepper, boursin cheese, curried chicken or a particular taste favorite that you request.

Fruit Dip
Slightly sweetened cream cheese dip enlived with cinnamon and Kahlua or Triple Sec for a very enjoyable taste enrobing fresh fruit.

Maya's Ham Roll-ups
Slices of ham with a savory cream cheese filling, rolled into pinwheels and sliced. Can be served alone or placed on a ritz style cracker.

Cream Puffs
Cream puffs, known as eclairs in Europe are prepared in a single bite size. Filled with plain or curried fresh chicken salad.

Sweet Mascarpone Torte
Mascarpone cheese is a very rich, full cream cheese that Philadelphia cream cheese only palely imitates. 1lb of Marscapone cheese is divided into three with layers of one filling of pureed apricots with orange liqueur and a second filling of chocolate ganache with orange liqueur. So cheese, apricots, cheese, chocolate, cheese layered together and turned out as a cake. Served with fingers of cinnamon graham crackers.

Vegetable Platter
Whatever vegetables your family and guests will eat (within reason and the season) arranged on a platter with homemade dips.. I would point out however, that I find that when there are plenty of interesting appetizers, guests don't eat nearly as much of the vegetable platter.

Coconut Chicken
Strips of boneless, skinless chicken breast in a coconut crumb crust, baked and served with a slightly spicy apricot or orange dipping sauce.

Baked Brie with a maple bourbon apple sauce topping
This is a small (8oz) brie that is baked in the oven with a homemade chunky apple sauce with the addition of cinnamon, bourbon and maple syrup. The Brie becomes soft and almost melts and is scooped up with cinnamon graham crackers. If your guests like Brie they will love this.

Mushroom Pastries
Little cases of crispy puff pastry, split and filled with a creamy mushroom sauce. This sauce is one of my favorite Lithuanian recipes and makes a delicious appetizer for a Dinner party.

Pear and blue cheese crostini
Thin slices of toasted French bread topped with slices of fresh pears (when good ripe pears are available) and finished with shavings of blue cheese, then broiled until cheese melts.

Pesto Mascarpone Torte
1 lb of Mascarpone cheese is divided into three with layers of two different types of pesto - normally classic basil and sun-dried tomato. Served with crackers.

Mexican Meatballs
Tiny, made from scratch, meatballs in a mildly spicy tomato chilli sauce. I know it's popular when the guests are mopping up the sauce with bread.

Shrimp and Cucumber dip
Cream cheese, shrimp, cucumber and herbs mixed together for a refreshing cool dip. This is also good as a salad.

Shrimp Salsa cups
Mini filo pastry cups filled with a mix of shrimp, cream and salsa. For a more dramatic look, the same filling can be used to fill baked wonton cups that are far bigger and therefore take more filling per cup.

Hot Crab Dip
Described as 'Heaven on a plate". Plenty of crab mixed with cream cheese, lemon, garlic and other spices, baked and served warm with crackers.

Bianco's sun-dried tomato and roasted red pepper dip.
A recipe from one of my students - sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red pepper, cream cheese and seasoning mixed together for a rich flavorful dip, served with tortilla chips.

Avocado and Shrimp Dip
Cubes of avocado mixed with small shrimp, tomatoes, lime and cilantro with a touch of pepper jelly for a mild kick. I could eat this by the bowlful.

Chicken Sateh
Bite sized chunks of boneless chicken breast cooked in a mildy spicy soy/ginger/sesame marinade. Served with a mildly spicy peanut sauce for dipping. This can be made far hotter but then your guests couldn't appreciate the other dishes served. This is a classic part of an Indonesian Rijstafel that I enjoyed while living in Holland.

See other Menu Suggestions