Appetizers for Men (or anyone!)
These appetizers are the most requested...most quickly devoured finger foods of all time. Most have only 2-3 ingredients, but all satisfy hearty appetites. Easy to make, they are the no-fuss get-er-done in a hurry kind. Pick out your favorites to serve on poker night, tailgating, at a Super Bowl Party or while watching movies. Grab a paper plate and load it up.
Sausage Cheese Balls
These freeze perfectly so you can make them ahead
These will probably be the first thing to go at your get-together. This picture shows exactly what they will look like straight from the oven.Ingredients:
3 cups baking mix (such as Bisquick)
1 pound ground pork sausage
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (pre-shredded in a bag is fine)
4 tablespoons water (or use 2 tbsp hot sauce and 2 tbsp water)
What to do:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients well (by hand) in large bowl. Continue "kneading" the mixture until ingredients hold together and there are no unincorporated ingredients in the bottom of the bowl. This might take a few minutes, but it will all come together. Shape mixture into balls, rolling in your hand until ball is smooth. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and spray lightly with cooking spray. Place sausage balls on aluminum foil covered pan so they are not touching. Bake for 15 minutes. Using a spatula transfer sausage balls to serving tray.
Serve with a variety of squeeze bottle mustards.
If you want to make these ahead of time, go ahead and cook as usual and let them cool completely. Freeze in freezer bags until needed. Reheat by microwaving in 10 second increments until hot.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Flickr-jarrodlombardo
Velveeta & Hormel Game Day Chili Cheese Dip
Don't miss this one
This is the cheese dip that gets devoured at parties. It's really simple and delicious.Ingredients:
1 box (16-ounce) VELVEETA® Cheese, cubed
1 can (15-ounce) HORMEL® Chili No Beans
*1 can (10-ounce) ROTEL® Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles (*optional)
What to do:
Place chili and cubed cheese (and Rotel chiles if desired) in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes.
Serve hot with tortilla chips.
A variation on this recipe is to use the Velveeta and Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles and skip the Hormel Chili. Make it like you like it.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Flickr-Adam Kuban
Pigs in a Blanket
All time favorite finger food
Remember these? Perfect finger food for a super bowl party or make it your contribution to the office Christmas party. Better yet, make 'em anytime.Ingredients:
1 package crescent rolls (such as Pillsbury)
1 package (16-oz) cocktail link smoked sausage
(such as Hillshire Farm Lit'l Smokies)
1. Pull apart the crescent roll triangles.
2. Cut each triangle into about 5-6 long strips.
They won't look perfect but that doesn't matter. Just cut the pieces so they are long enough to wrap around the cocktail links.
3. Wrap each cocktail link with a strip of crescent roll.
4. Bake on slightly greased (cooking spray works best) cookie sheet according to instructions on crescent roll package.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Flickr-kalebdf
Cream Cheese with Pepper Jelly
Strange but true - fabulous flavor
Whoever figured out this awesome combination - is a genius. Who knew? The first time I saw it, I had to ask three times what it was. Now I dive for it on buffet tables.Ingredients:
1 (8-oz block) cream cheese
1 jar pepper jelly
What to do:
1. Place cream cheese on plate and let it sit out for about 10 minutes to soften.
2. Dollop jelly on top.
3. Leave a couple of cheese knives out for guests to build-their-own.
Update: A visitor to this webpage (thanks mbgphoto!) states that she mixes the 2 ingredients together before serving. I like this idea very much. So there are 2 options for serving.
Serve with crackers. Don't use buttery crackers though, they will interfere with the flavors. Use a bland or lightly flavored cracker like a water cracker or something similar.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Flickr-danielandkallie
Boiled shrimp
There's no mystery here
Quick Note: A VERY common question people have is, "Do you peel shrimp before you boil them?" The answer is NO! You boil shrimp with the peel on. You peel them after they are boiled and right before eating them.Ingredients:
Uncooked shrimp with shell on
Couple tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
What to do:
Fill large pot 3/4 full with water and add Old Bay. Bring water to a boil and add raw shrimp. Bring shrimp back to a boil and let boil I minute. Remove from heat and let sit for 2 minutes. Shrimp are cooked when they turn pink. Don't overcook. Dip out shrimp and rinse in colander with cold water. When cool, place on bed of ice in large bowl and refrigerate until ready to eat.
Serve with cocktail sauce and tartar sauce.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Flickr-Dave77459
Quick lesson on How to Peel Shrimp
Works for boiled shrimp AND fresh caught shrimp
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How to Peel Shrimp
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There are many methods for peeling shrimp. The method I use today is not the method I was taught. Peeling thousands of pounds of shrimp in my life has forced me to develop well, a better way of doing it. I am my family's designated shrimp peeler. If...
Trail Mix
Some call it GORP - Good Old Raisins and Peanuts
May also be called scroggin in other countries. Also known as studenterhavre (student's oats) in Denmark.Ingredients:
M&M's
Peanuts
Raisins
Granola
*and whatever else you like
What you do:
Whatever you want! Mix together equal parts (or not) of your favorite snacks. Put the mixture in a bowl with a large spoon for serving. The combination of sweet and salty is satisfying and the protein from the nuts is filling.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Flickr-Mark_W
Chocolate dipped pretzels
Couldn't be easier
Ingredients:1 bag large pretzel sticks
1 bag milk chocolate morsels (or white chocolate)
What to do:
Put chocolate morsels in microwave safe dish. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat as necessary until chocolate is almost melted. Continue to stir until completely melted. Be careful not to overcook the chocolate - it burns easily.
Dip 3/4's of the pretzel stick in the chocolate leaving 1/4 not dipped for the handle. Place on a sheet of waxed paper and refrigerate until chocolate is firm.
Variation: If you want to jazz it up, dip the chocolate covered pretzel in chopped pecans while the chocolate is still soft.
Update: Since writing this article, we've been making these for snacks regularly. I've noticed that if you remove them from the fridge and eat them right away, the chocolate may crack and fall off the pretzel. Let them sit out on the counter for about 10 minutes before serving.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Flickr-maggi.m
Rice Krispie Candy
Everybody loves these
Ingredients3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 package (10-oz) regular marshmallows ( or 4 cups miniature marshmallows)
6 cups Rice Krispies®
What to do:
1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares.
Here's an idea for Rice Krispie Candy: spread the mixture onto a cookie sheet (instead of 13x9x2 pan) so that it is about 1/2" thick. Then use shaped cookie cutters to cut out the treats. Like footballs or fish to match the theme of your party.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Flickr-Sabrina Tang
More appetizers
- Taste of Home Magazine Appetizers
- Choose from appetizers in these categories: Easy, Cold, Hot, and Dips and Spreads.
- Huge list of appetizers
- Scroll down and check out the stuffed mushrooms. Looks really good.
- Roasted Red Pepper Dip - serve with crackers
- Do NOT miss this one. I make it regularly because it's perfect for making ahead of time. Talk about easy...put all ingredients into a food processor and you are done! Store in fridge.
- Praline Grahams
- Finally found the same recipe Southern Living uses and this is it. I remember the first time I tasted these. I hunted down the person who made them and demanded the recipe.
And for your main meal...brand that steak!
Or bread or potato with a branding iron
Texas Irons Clemson University Steak Branding Iron
OK, so you're not rooting for Clemson (or maybe you are). You'll find lots of other teams when you click on this link and choose from the drop down menu. See exactly what that branding iron will look like.
Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 12/08/2009) 
Texas Irons Single Letter Steak Branding Iron - K
If you'd rather not back a football team, then choose your initial and let everyone know who cooked the perfect steak.
Amazon Price: $15.86 (as of 12/08/2009)
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What is your all time favorite finger food?
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- CherylK CherylK Dec 7, 2009 @ 10:18 am
- You know, sometimes we try too hard to do something "different". I love these old tried and true recipes. Now I have to figure out how to make the sausage balls vegetarian (daughter coming for Christmas is vegan) - LOL! Great lens and a good reminder to K.I.S.S. :-)
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- Kylyssa Kylyssa Nov 2, 2009 @ 7:53 pm
- Great recipes! Fived, Favorited, and Featured!
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- Marelisa Marelisa Sep 25, 2009 @ 8:44 pm
- I make that trail mix, I love it! Everything on here looks good. I've never seen the cream cheese and pepper jelly combo before, but I think I'll give it a try.
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Reply
- CherylK CherylK Dec 7, 2009 @ 10:21 am
- You will LOVE the cream cheese and pepper jelly! It's also great if you mix apricot jam and mango habanero salsa (Mrs. Renfro's, if you can get that) and spoon that on the cream cheese, believe it or not.
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- Ramkitten Ramkitten Sep 14, 2009 @ 7:39 pm
- I just happened to be sitting here eating GORP as I read this lens, never expecting to see it on the appetizer list. But come to think of it, it's often what I nibble on before dinner. I hadn't really thought about it before. In fact, I eat it more often as an appetizer than I do when I'm hiking, which is what it's usually intended for.
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Puzzlemaker - That's Me
Lensmaster puzzlemaker has been a member since May 11 2009, has rated 384 lenses, favorited 174, and has created 27 lenses from scratch. Paige Graves donates their royalties to Modest Needs. This member's top-ranked page is "Nautical Christmas Ornaments". See all my lenses
by puzzlemaker
I like to eat. A lot. Many times the simplest foods are the best. Here's a list of the most requested appetizers for men (but really for anyone). I h... (more)
