Can You Bring An Appetizer? Easy Party Food Recipes and Ideas

Many family dinners, holiday luncheons, supper clubs, sports viewing get-togethers, and other social occasions call for bringing one (or more) of your favorite dishes to share with fellow attendees. I enjoy preparing dips and other types of hors d' oeuvres, and so am often asked to bring appetizers to potluck events. I like sharing appetizers, because they can be really easy to make (or purchase), and people seem to enjoy trying new finger foods.

Easy "Do-It-Yourself" Dip Recipes:

I have written several hubs that feature great dip recipe ideas. Here are some of my all-time favorite dip recipes:

• 3 Cream Cheese Dip Recipes
• Dip Recipes Made With Sour Cream
• How to Make Tortilla Rollups
• Dip Recipes Made with Beans
• Create Your Own Quesadillas
• Yummy Spinach Dip Recipe

Simple Cracker Spread Recipes:

These recipe ideas are actually so easy that it might not be fair to call them recipes. It's so easy to make a great cracker spread simply by covering a block of cream cheese with a delicious sauce.

To make a delicious, simple, and beautifully presented cracker spread, simple place a block of cream cheese in the center of a plate or serving platter. Cover with a generous serving your favorite sauce, and surround with your favorite types of crackers.

Great sauces to use for cracker spreads include:

• Any type of Pepper Jelly (My favorite brand is Tabasco)
• Pepper Patch Tipsy Rum Steak Sauce
• Pickapeppa Sauce
• Tastefully Simple Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce, Merlot Sauce, or Mild Red Pepper Dip

Create Your Own Sampler Trays

I sometimes like to prepare sampler trays for events. I find that a combination of deli meat, cheese, and fruit is usually a very popular contribution to any type of occasion.

Items that work well for sampler trays include:

• Meats: Shaved or very thinly sliced turkey, ham, roast beef, pastrami or cubes of summer sausage
• Cheese: Sliced or cubed cheddar, pepper jack, Colby, Monterey jack
• Fruits: grapes, strawberries, sliced apples

Supermarket Secrets:

Many supermarkets stock a full line of "cash and carry" appetizers, for those days that you don't have the time or inclination to make your own appetizer recipes. I have taken the Salads of the Sea Cajun Krab Cheeseball to several parties, and have received rave reviews. It is available in the seafood section in my local supermarket.

It's easy to disguise store-bought appetizers as homemade delights, but I'm usually honest about where the goodies came from. Keep in mind that if you claim ownership of the recipe for something you purchased ready-made, you just might be asked to bring the dish to the next event. If the store stops carrying it, you just might have a little problem on your hands.