Being a mom you never know what is going to come up and throw your day into a tailspin. Last weekend we had friends coming over for dinner and I had a whole menu planned, appetizers through dessert. I was out to dinner on Friday night and planned all my shopping & cooking for Saturday morning/afternoon. What I didn’t see coming is my son fracturing his nose on Friday night and me spending the better part of Saturday morning in the Urgent Care with him. So my dinner turned into meal delivery from Cuisine To Go. They were a life saver (If you are not familiar with them, you can read about them here on our site and get a coupon code for free delivery). But I still wanted to have some nice appetizers out when my guests arrived. I ended up having about 30 minutes to prepare them.
It’s always good to have some super easy, last minute appetizers in your repertoire that you can shop for and throw together very quickly without much thought. Here are a few ideas:
- I love store bought hummus for a go-to appetizer. They come in some great flavors (I am partial to edamame or roasted red pepper). You can serve it with a bowl of pita chips or dress it up by spooning or piping a little on to the edge of an endive leaf.
- Buy thin crispy breadsticks. Spread on a layer of Boursin cheese around the top 1/3. Wrap with a thin slice of Prosciutto.
- One of my favorites was taught to me by a friend. Cream Cheese Wasabi Spread. Slice a brick of cream cheese horizontally in half. Spread the half evenly with wasabi (about 2 tablespoons). Pour about 3-4 tablespoons of Tamari (dark soy sauce) on top. Let sit in the fridge for an hour or so (if you have the time). Toast 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden brown, stirring or shaking constantly. Pour sesame seeds on top of cream cheese. Cover and place in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Just before serving top with 2 tablespoons of sliced scallions. Serve with Rice Crackers.
- Skewer grape tomatoes, basil and small mozzarella balls and drizzle with a little olive oil & balsamic vinegar.
- Superfast Crab Dip. Soften a brick of cream cheese by bringing it to room temperature. Spread in the bottom of shallow dish or pie plate. Spread on a layer of cocktail sauce. Top with lump crabmeat and garnish with a little parsley. Serve with crackers.
You can pick one or two appetizers to make and combine with some cheese & crackers and some fresh fruit or crudite and you are set. Enjoy!
For more recipes and entertaining tips from Zareen visit her blog Cooking With Z.
Philaburban Mom 