Make Ahead-of-Party Appetizers
If you are planning a big get-together, reduce some of the pre-party stress by making the appetizers and snacks ahead of time. There are many types of appetizers that can be made the day before the party, such as dips, cheese trays and deviled eggs. By making the food ahead of time, you will be able to mix and mingle with your guests instead of being tied up in the kitchen during the party.
Instructions
1. Make taco dip. Using a hand mixer, blend eight ounces of softened cream cheese with eight ounces of sour cream. Blend in one package of taco seasoning and spread the mixture on an 8x10 foil sheet. Top the creamy spread with shredded lettuce, three finely chopped tomatoes, two chopped green onions and one eight-ounce bag of shredded cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and store in the refrigerator overnight. Serve with tortilla chips.
2. Create a batch of deviled eggs. Boil the eggs for 15 minutes. After the eggs are cooled, peel them and cut them in half. Remove the yolks and put them into a bowl. Lay the halved egg whites in a deviled egg container. Stir the mayonnaise and mustard into the yolks, and blend until creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Using a spoon, fill each egg white half with the yolk mixture. To garnish, sprinkle the eggs with paprika. Cover the eggs with the container lid and store in the refrigerator overnight.
3. Whip up an easy garden dip. Blend the dry ranch dressing mix with sour cream. Store the dip in an air-tight container overnight. On party day, garnish the dip with chopped parsley and serve with pre-cut celery and carrots sticks.
4. Make a fruit and cheese tray. The night before the party, cut up a variety of hard and soft cheeses, such as cheddar and brie. Arrange them neatly on a large glass tray and cover with plastic wrap; store in the refrigerator overnight. On the day of the party, wash bunches of green and purple grapes and add them to the cheese tray. Serve with crackers and slices of french bread.
5. Delight your guests with elegant baked brie with dried cherries and pecans. Prior to the party, cut a brie cheese wheel in half. Sprinkle the bottom half of the cheese with dried cherries, toasted pecans and brown sugar. Place the other half of the cheese wheel on the the cherry, pecan and sugar mixture, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Right before the party, cover the top of the cheese wheel with a puff pastry sheet and brush it with a beaten egg. Place the cheese on a piece of parchment paper, and bake in a 325-degree oven for one hour. Serve with crackers or sliced french bread.
Tags: before party, cheese wheel, refrigerator overnight, store refrigerator, store refrigerator overnight