Appetizers - Pembina,ND

Spinach dip, hummus, sun dried tomato & cream cheese spread, ham-n-cream cheese ball, caprese on a stick (cherry tomato, mozzarella, basil on a toothpick drizzled with balsamic vinegar) melon balls wrapped in prosciutto, chips & salsa, deviled eggs, seven layer bean dip...

An attractive wooden pick speared with a tiny mozzarella ball (the fresh ones in brine; if you can't find the tiny ones then just use fresh mozzarella and cube it like dice), a grape tomato, and a basil leaf. You could also add a dice-like cube of salami, or a small folded piece of prosciutto or ham. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and arrange attractively on a platter. No cooking needed, just spearing and drizzling!

You could also think of other combinations you like, such as ham and pineapple, or cooked shrimp and small squares of red pepper, and spear them on small picks. Or olives and ham and tomatoes.

Last year we made a cheese ball. It sounds kinda gross, but it was so good. It was cream cheese, crushed pineapple, ham, cheddar cheese and green onion and you mixed in a bit of powdered sugar and rolled it in toasted pecans.

Pepper Jelly Cream Cheese block w/crackers (just spread a jar of pepper
jelly over a block of softened cream cheese. Serve w/crackers. That's it.)
Assortment of deli meats, dish of hot mustard, baquettes sliced.
Crock pot of mini sausages & bbq sauce. That's it. You can plug in the
crock pot in the laundry room, garage etc. then take put on table when
ready to serve.
Proscuitto wrapped around breadsticks.
Shrimp & cocktail sauce.
Ceviche
sliced mozzarella or goat chese, basil, sliced tomatoes, drizzled w/
balsamic

I love cheese, so I second that idea. Perhaps cheeses, a focaccia (sp?) bread and a hard toasted cracker, different olives, and a spread (tomato or fruit based.

My family loves the chicken cheese ball that's rolled in nuts served with crackers.
Pepperoni, cheese & crackers/party eye rounds or Melba toast

Pinterest cheese/fruit trays:

http://www.pinterest.com/krisjoiedevivre/entertaining-che...

:)

Salsa and chips
Guacamole
Veggie dip in Hawaiian bread
Chicken salad Sammies (in cocktail size bread or mini croissants)
Ranch dip and veggies
Antipasta dish
Hummis

I have some others but you would need a crockpot or microwave.

I made a fruit turkey centerpiece last year. It was a big hit. A little time consuming to make, but not too hard. The body is a honeydew or cantaloupe melon. The head is an upside down pear. The waddle is red bell pepper, the beak is cheese, and the feet are red bell pepper. The feathers are skewers. I did some skewers with fruit, some with veggies, some with cheese and summer sausage, some with mozzarella, grape tomatoes, and basil.

I know a lot of people don't trust links so I won't put one in. Just Google "fruit turkey centerpiece" and lots of pictures come up. I even found a YouTube video.

pinwheels (sandwich meat, cheese, and veg with some sort of spread in a tortilla rolled and cut like a jelly roll).
crudite
italian salsa (drained diced tomato, chopped fresh basil and orgegano, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and red onion).
I love an antipasta tray.
How about some sliced italian bread with tapenade.
gazpacho
for something very seasonal, try a spread made with walnuts, olive oil, salt, pepper, parmesan, and cranberry jelly.

Best,
F. B.

PS- enjoy your new kitchen

My favorite app is the large bowl size Hawaiian brand bread scooped out with spinach artichoke dip in it. Then you just serve it with the bread in little pieces that you scooped out. No cooking, only mixing unless you buy the dip already made. lol Good luck!

Fruit kabobs - different colors alternated on plastic picks - I use the picks that have an arrowhead on the end because the fruit sticks better. Poke holes in a half a watermelon (cut out the fruit first) and poke holes in the rind with a skewer. Insert the plastic picks into the watermelon rind to create a "fruit porcupine". Put paper towels (1 or 2) inside the watermelon so no juice soaks the platter. You can use any fruits that are in season or available - chunks of different melon, berries, pineapple, seedless grapes. It's light and people won't be full before dinner.

Yes cheese, but spinach and ranch dip with crackers, cream cheese roll-ups (in some sort of meat), veg tray, finger jello for kiddos. One warm food, would be cocktail wienies in crock pot with BBQ sauce.

I agree with the antipasta tray and would also suggest a brie. Get a round of brie and put it on a plate. Heat it well in microwave or oven and smear it with apricot jelly and crushed pecans if you want and YUM!!! Serve with crackers and little breads.

I love veggie trays and fruit trays.

I agree with Melanie D.

I would go with the veggie and fruit trays and dips.

Oh, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

the other S.

popular one around here is a slice of ham with cream cheese spread on it with a pickled asparagus rolled up in it.

Canadian Thanksgiving!! YAHOO!!

Here's what I've done for our block parties and office parties over the years....

Cheese and apple slices. Spritz the apples with lemon juice or the "fruit fresh" (http://www.freshpreserving.com/products/fruit-fresh) to keep them from browning.

Tomato Capreze' - sliced beefsteak tomatoes with a slice of mozzarella cheese on top - spritz with Balsamic vinaigrette dressing. You can even do these on kabobs - instead of using slices? get the little mozzarella balls and grape tomatoes...

Cold shrimp and cocktail sauce - that's always a hit!!

celery sticks with peanut butter (really plain but the kids like it)
celery sticks with cream cheese or even cheese stuffed in 'em.

Does that help??

Cucumber logs - slice cucumbers in half - remove the seeds and fill with a cream cheese mixture

Olive kabobs - take green and black olives - skewer them on kabob - add bell peppers, banana peppers. I've even put rolled up lunch meat on it.

Large pepperoni slices wrapped around a dice/cube of mozzarella cheese.