Appetizer/Snack Suggestions Needed

[The Edifying Conscience]

I've been asked to bring a hearty appetizer to a thing on Friday. Ideally it needs to be as good warm as it is if it cools off or just cool/room temp from the get go.

Here's the dilemma. I'm a make it and serve it kind of girl. Crockpots sort of gross me out...food left out for extended period of time at mild heat and all that...but it could solve the issue with heat. Other than meatballs (not going to do those as I made Asian meatballs last time) I can't think of anything that would be good in a crockpot. I guess a cheese dip of some variety could work, but I was hoping for something more filling and interesting and unusual than that.

CM,
I saw your recipe for Asian wings. Does the skin get flabby and soft in the crockpot?

Thoughts?

[cruelshoes]

I took 7 layer dip to a potluck a few weeks ago, and the whole pan was licked clean. That's filling, and doesn't require heating. Just bring some tortilla chips to go with it.
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-Colleen

Where are we going, and what am I doing in this handcart?

[forinajoy]

we just had a wedding shower at my house...for one of the appetizers, we served grilled shrimp and fresh pineapple on a skewer....some of the pieces of shrimp were wrapped in bacon, some were not....they were good hot and also good as they cooled....you could cook them, put them on a platter and really wrap them in foil until you get there....we did not season them, just the grilling flavor...everyone raved....
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Connie, mom to Ina, 14 y/o with CD

[aklap]

Hmmm, we've been diggin' Wild Garden Fire Roasted Red Pepper Hummus as of late. What about some triangles of that flat bread [maybe kick it up a notch with some spices/flavoring] to dip in to your favorite hummus?

Or if you're having a chebe jones - make some chebe "crackers" for said dip.
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[ali]

How about Buffalo Wing Dip?

2 bricks cream cheese
1 package (2 c.) shredded chedder cheese
2 c. shredded cooked chicken
1 sm. bottle blue cheese dressing (about 1 c.)
1 sm. bottle franks red hot buffalo wing sauce (verified GF!)

Place all in a crockpot and cook on low. Serve with Tortilla chips.
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"The electrocution was not my fault. You refused to wear the rubber underpants!"

[Kathie]

My mother does little smokies in bbq sauce in the crock for get togethers. I'm pretty sure wal-marts are labeled gf, and Hormel's list them on their GF list. Actually I searched little smokies because I couldn't remember who made them and got a web site with a ton of recipes.
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CD by Biopsy 3/25/88

[mom2cassie]

My top favorite for "can sit out a while w/o going bad" appetizer is Hummus. It can sit out for a while w/o sanitary concerns since it isn't meat. But since it's beans it is still just as filling! I usually make pita bread, but I know that's not "easy". But crackers work just as well.

It's really easy to make. Here's a basic recipe I use. Sorry about the "excruciating detail" recipe. I'm cutting and pasting!

A few comments first -- almost all of the ingredients are really "to taste". I'm just giving my approximate amounts. Also, as an FYI, tahini is sesame paste. You can find it in most grocery stores -- just ask. But it is a bit more expensive. For me, I REALLY prefer the flavor of it, so it's worth the extra price. But I know that is not always true (or possible) for everyone. Peanut butter works almost as well, and is MUCH cheeper (plus, you usually have it in your pantry already!). If you can get it, I'd guess that a natural peanut butter would be a more accurate alternative -- it's "nuttier" tasting.

- 4-6 cloves garlic
- 1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and liquid reserved
- 1/4-1/3 cup of tahini (if no tahini available, peanut butter is a good alternative).
- 1-2 lemons, zested and juiced (I don't put in all of the zest if I use more than one lemon, or it ends up too bitter.
- pinch of ground black pepper
- 1/4-12/ tsp salt
- 1/3 cup oil (my personal favorite is roasted walnut oil. The "traditional" is usually extra-virgin olive oil. But really, whatever you have will work).
- A handful fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Chop the garlic finely in a food processor (NOTE: if you don't have a food processor, I've done this in a blender, but be a bit careful if it isn't a "hearty" blender. You don't want to burn it out...).

Add the beans and 1/2 of the reserved liquid and process finely (in food processor I usually let it run for a good 2 minutes so it's smooth). Add the tahini (or peanut butter) lemon zest and juice, black pepper, and salt. Process until it forms a paste. Add parsley and process until it seems reasonably chopped. Drizzle in the olive oil and process until it reaches the consistency of mayonnaise.

Test taste before removing. You can easily adjust to your preferences at this point by throwing in a little extra of the flavor ingredients (tahini, lemon, salt, pepper). The only "exception" is the garlic. Adding more fresh garlic doesn't work quite right -- it doesn't get chopped up enough. But I have added extra garlic in the form of garlic powder and it worked perfectly.

It will seem a tad thinner than normal hummus when you first take it out. It does taste just fine right then, but I've found it tastes best if you let it refridgerate for at least a few hours, preferably overnight, so that the flavors can meld and the hummus can thicken up.

Enjoy!

[celiacmaine-iac]

Sorry TEC... The CM didn't register with me at first. No, the Asian wings don't get soggy in the crockpot as long as you cook them until they are crisp enough in the oven.
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Steph

[nancw]

You can make black bean hummus, and make Chebe flatbread to dip with.
Make regular hummus, but sub 1/2 or all garbanzos w/ black beans. I add some chopped jalapeno or other potent pepper.
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Nance

gluten, dairy, soy, rice, yeast and 99% grain-free

[The Edifying Conscience]

Thank you all so much for the great suggestions! Lot of good ideas here and I don't know which to pick. Hmm...


Ali,
I regularly make that Buff chx dip but omit the cheddar. Sometimes I'll place it on a rice and turn it into Buff chx casserole. It's a winner and I've taken it once before.

[aklap]

So...what did you end up taking?
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[The Edifying Conscience]

On Wednesday the plan was changed from appetizers to tacos and all of the fixings. I brought chicken taco meat and corn tortillas. Everyone else brought the necessary fixings...guacamole, beans, toppings, etc.