When hosting a
party, what to serve is often
the biggest dilemma. Whether you’re having a sit-down dinner
or not, snack foods are usually a necessity.
What you need are a range
of hostess snack ideas to always have at hand, so
you can choose from
your list quickly whenever you have a get together. Try out a few of
these and write your favorites down on a list.
Keep this master list
with your other recipes and you’ll always know where to find
it when you’re at a loss for what to serve.
Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip
(This is always a hit at parties!
It’s great served with French bread pieces, crackers,
tortilla chips, or even veggies like carrot sticks.
(Note, some
versions include nuts, but I recommend never serving nuts at a
gathering, as you never know whose allergies might be an issue.)
-2 jars of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
-2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese (low-fat works well, but avoid
nonfat, because it won’t melt well)
-1 cup grated parmesan cheese
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 cup mayonnaise
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Combine all
ingredients in a decorative baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes, until hot
and bubbly. Be sure to warn your guests that it’s hot!
Sandwich Loaf
(A hostess snack standard from the
seventies, this main dish always impresses people at a luncheon!)
-1 large loaf of good white bread
-3 sandwich fillings of your choice – popular choices include
ham salad, egg salad, etc., but you can also used thinly sliced deli
meats and other items like this.
-1/4 cup margarine, softened
-2 packages cream cheese, softened
-1/2 cup half and half
Trim the crusts from the loaf of bread, so
they’re rectangular in shape. Cut it horizontally into four
large slices. Butter one slice of bread and lay face-up on the serving
platter. Spread evenly with one sandwich filling. Continue layering
buttered bread and sandwich fillings. Combine the cream cheese and half
and half to create a frosting, and frost the loaf thickly. Garnish with
parsley. Slice vertically for individual servings.
Enjoy your gathering, and good luck with the
perfect hostess snack!