@amylou321 I do best without measurements! I can imagine trying different cheeses, etc....I will do this for sure. They would go over well and could make a lot without hours and hours of work.

For a Thanksgiving appetizer, I made Olive Poppers. People go crazy for them. You can make and bake ahead, but they are better reheated and served warm (until they cool again, then they really are fine room temp). You could easily reheat in an electric skillet on low, or I've heated them quickly in a covered bbq grill when the oven isn't available. Or just stick them in the oven with other things for 10 min. Microwaving isn't the best, but I have even done that, on low power for not too long (one minute maybe). I usually make with pimento stuffed green olives (or garlic stuffed), regular black olives or the favorite seems to be kalamata olives that I stuff with a little cream cheese. I've also stuffed regular black olives with a little cream cheese (just cut a little hunk and cram it in) or blue cheese. You don't have to be neat or particular when stuffing. I can't ever seem to find large kalamatas, so I get the smaller ones and split 2 and wrap both around a small piece of cream cheese.

I usually make both red and black (or kalamata) so I put a few black sesame seeds on the black/kalamatas, so people who hate green olives will be able to differentiate the green from the black.

Olive poppers

Well, there are always the ubiquitous cheese balls and that 7 layer Mexican dip, both are gluten and nut free and can be made ahead.

I like to make cheese crackers or "thumbprints", they're basically a cheese cracker but good, and I fill mine with my own home canned Habanero Gold but commercial hot pepper jelly would do, as would fig jam.

Savory Cheddar and Jalapeno Jelly Cookies from Rick Rodgers

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen

8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup jalapeno jelly, or sub apple butter or chutney

Place cheese and butter in a food processor (could be creamed by hand or mixer); add flour and process until the mixture forms a soft dough. Gather up the dough and divide into two flat disks. Wrap in wax paper and freeze until chilled, about 45 minutes.

Position two racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 400°. Line two baking sheets with parchment or use nonstick sheets.

Using 1 teaspoon dough for each, roll the dough into small balls and place 1 inch apart on the sheets. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or 1/2-inch-thick dowel, poke an indentation in each cookie. Place the jelly in a small plastic bag and force it down into one corner. Snip off the corner of the bag to make a small hole. Pipe the jelly into the indentations.

Return to the oven and bake, switching the positions of the sheets from top to bottom halfway through baking, until the tops are very lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

I just made a batch of these for a meeting on Wednesday, and I used Dubliner cheese, The Princess loved them and they are all gone. I made the dough a day ahead, rolled it into logs and refrigerated, then baked the day of the meeting. I brought home a handful, maybe 9 or 10, and The Princess promptly finished them off. Now I need to make more.

Cheddar
Coins

6 oz. (1-1/3 cups) all-purpose flour

3 oz. (about 1-1/4 cups) finely shredded sharp Cheddar (or half Cheddar
and half Parmigiano-Reggiano)

1 tsp. table salt

1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne

4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, chilled

1 large egg yolk

2 Tbs. water

1-1/2 oz. (1/3 cup) medium finely chopped walnuts

Kosher salt for sprinkling (optional)

Combine the flour, cheese, salt, and cayenne in a food processor. Process until just blended. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the dough resembles coarse crumbs. Stir the yolk and water together with a fork and drizzle over the mixture. Pulse until the dough begins to form small moist crumbs. Add the chopped nuts and pulse briefly until the crumbs begin to come together.

Pile the moist crumbs on an unfloured work surface. With the heel of your hand, push and gently smear the crumbs away from you until they start to come together in a cohesive dough. Using a pastry scraper or a metal spatula, lift up one edge of the dough and fold it into the center (the dough will still be rough, so don’t expect a neat, smooth fold). Repeat with the opposite edge, like folding a letter. Turn the dough 45 degrees. Give the dough another smearing and shape it into a 14-inch log that’s 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Wrap in
plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours, or up to two days.

Heat the oven to 375°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut the log into scant 1/4-inch slices. Arrange about 1/2 inch apart on the prepared sheets. Bake until medium to deep golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating
the sheets as needed for even baking. If you like, sprinkle the crackers with a little kosher salt just as the baking sheets come out of the oven. Set the sheets on racks to cool. When the coins are completely cool, store them in an airtight container.

Most of all, have fun!

Annie

Make an easy salmon Rillette. Cook a couple of salmon filets, cool and flake. Chop some smoked salmon into dice. Mix the 2 with philly cheese, a little lemon juice, seasoning and top small baguette slices or little crackers.

I really love to serve just a blocks of different cheeses. With a knife for each and a label . A soft cheese, Brie, Camembert, Chevre etc.....and have some sort of savory preserves to serve with it, hot pepper jelly, jalapeno-raspberry.....there are many. and a hard cheddar type....a cooked cheese like Swiss or Jarlsberg....and something more bland like an edam or a jack. Assorted crackers and you are good.
There are always mini quiche, and of course the ever popular shrimp with cocktail sauce.
All easy and transportable and no oven needed.

Ina Garten's Tarragon Shrimp. Make a day ahead. serve cold. I serve with endive as an appetizer. Delicious. Can find on a Google search.

Linda's Cranberry Jezebel is fab. You can go old school and serve it over cream cheese with crackers, or make little cracker cups and fill them, or any other way that lets it be the star.

Mediterranean Layered Dip is a riff on the Mexican 7 Layer dip. I do not make the cilantro pesto. I use pre-made pesto found in the refrigerator case at the grocery. I have roasted my own tomatoes, but I’ve also used roasted tomatoes from the olive bar at the grocery.

Tap on the photo to enlarge

Ina Garten’s Herbed Goat Cheese is one of my favorites! I have an extra large double old-fashioned glass that I serve it in. The goat cheese I use comes in logs. I buy 2 logs, cut them in half, and pat them into rounds.

Tap on the photo to enlarge

With a heavy meal, I'd go with something light. A cheese board with a few grapes or figs or dried apricots and an assortment of crackers. Another light but delicious appetizer is slices of cucumber topped with a dab of sour cream or creme fraiche and a slice of smoked salmon, a couple of capers or sprig of dill to garnish.

I also make the cheese covered olive balls like Olychick, although we call them baked martinis :-) I like them best hot but they are fine at room temp as well. I am helping my sister host an after Christmas open house and all we will be serving is an assortment of appetizers and finger foods. In addition to the baked martinis, we will be serving mushroom tartlets, spanakopita, chicken liver pate and baguette slices, the cucumber with smoked salmon, cheese and crackers, grapes, Marcona almonds and a selection of Christmas cookies and breads.

ps. deviled eggs never go amiss :-)

I have a giant bag of hazelnuts (what was I thinking?) from Costco and I'm searching for recipes. These below might help, although obviously not nut-free.

Hazelnut parmesan crisps: https://kjhazelnuts.com/recipes/

Roasted hazelnuts with thyme: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roasted-hazelnuts-with-thyme-240242

Fresh figs with bleu cheese and hazelnuts: https://www.flavourandsavour.com/fresh-fig-appetizer-with-blue-cheese-and-hazelnuts/

Whipped hazelnut dip: https://www.marthastewart.com/1153333/whipped-hazelnut-dip

I have been so focussed on dessert for the family party I forgot I need to make some appetizers also, so this was perfectly timed!! I only need a couple so I think I will make Amylou's BLT bites and Annie's Cheddar Coins. Thank you!! :-)

Appetizers are hard because some people only want light some won't eat seafood and some only want the tastiest gooeiest thing imaginable.

I like bacon wrapped dates while they can be made ahead I cook them fairly last minute but they can sit at room temperature for hours. I also like pesto spiral pinwheels made with store-bought puff pastry, homemade french onion dip with a variety of chips and Fritos and flatbreads, tortellini cheese tomato skewers, and in general anything secured is usually pretty popular

I have made something similar to the BLT bites before. I discovered the easiest way to hollow out a cherry tomato is using a demitasse spoon or one of the long handled spoons for feeding a baby. I hollow out the tomatoes and turn them upside down on paper towels to drain.

Thanks for all the great ideas. Going to have to narrow them down! Definitely a cheese board with olives, figs, assorted cheese, herbed goat cheese and the jams. Skewered tortellini and tomato would be a hit with the kids. Thank you. Always so many great ideas!

I've posted this olive wreath before here, but it's easy to assemble ahead and always well received. Also pretty! Just use sprigs of rosemary, assorted olives, cherry peppers and/or cherry tomatoes, and mini Mozzarella balls (bocconcini).

Anne, the tortellini skewers can be done with the addition of mozzarella balls, a piece of salami or cured meat, and fresh basil leaves and the whole thing brushed with Italian dressing

I have actually made some form of many of these things but I get stuck thinking of what to do. I love the olive wreath. I am going to do that for a party with my neighbors. Just six houses in farm area. They will love it. Cheese tray, tortellini skewers And homemade cheese crackers for Christmas and saving the rest for the future. !

Bacon wrapped dates... I make those often with cheese in the dates and a little brown sugar, wine and deli mustard sauce....I could eat a ton myself along with anything fig and goat cheese.

I have done the bacon wrapped dates with bleu cheese . . very nice. I also like to do puff pastry (now I have found GF premade too!) in mini tarts with a piece of brie and cranberry chutney - then just bake until the puff pastry is done. They look very festive and taste great!