Holiday Entertaining Ideas - Quick & Easy Appetizers

While we may have celebrate the last night of the Festival of Lights tonight, the holiday season still has a few weeks left in it for most of the people we know... and, let's not forget New Year's Eve!

I don't try to plan anything formal during the month of December when it comes to entertaining... so many people are being pulled in different directions between family, friends and work parties that I will do impromptu entertaining.

What's nice about that is that it can be very casual and laid back.  It's nice to invite another family or two over just to nibble on some appetizers and watch a movie or just hang out.  This is something we like to do throughout the year, so I don't stress much about these last minute get-togethers.

Hormel-Family-cheese-pepperoni-crackers
Whether you plan to have some more formal parties or casual get-togethers, these ideas will help get the nibbles on the tables and you out of the kitchen and enjoying time with your guests.

The key is having a few "go-to" appetizers on hand.  I like to keep a couple of cheeses and some pepperoni that can easily be assembled and served with some crackers.

Add to that a simple dip that is served in a bread bowl, and I guarantee you that you'll wish you bought extra bread for your guests to dip into it!

Beyond these simple-to-keep-on-hand ideas, there are also some great appetizers that you can throw together with only a couple of hours notice.  This time of year, you'll want to keep the ingredients on hand so that you'll be ready to serve tasty nibbles and look like it was no big deal to throw it all together!

Pull out this Pepperoni Pizza Bread as your guests arrive and they will be fighting over the first pieces!  It's one of those hard to resist appetizers that will make your guests drool at the mere mention of it.

Pepperoni-Bread-01




Mini pizza slices made from some simple ingredients and a prepared crust take no time to throw together - try different toppings and combinations with the new sauces that are available at the supermarket. When sliced up and placed on a simple dish, the pizza slices become the star of the show!

Classico-Elevate-Pizza-Night


You can never go wrong with a Mexican Layer Dip!  This version is my favorite and from what little was left on the plate, I know my guests truly enjoyed every last bit!


Mexican layer dip for nibbling during the Super Bowl tonight!  What will you be munching on?

One of my favorite appetizers is (any version of) bruschetta... this one is a Roasted Pancetta and Herb Butter Crostini that has my mouth watering just thinking about it!  Sooooo easy to make and all you would need to pick up from the store is a baguette!


roasted-pancetta-and-herb-butter-crostini


These are just a few ideas to get you started... I've got a lot more appetizers here on the blog, so poke around and see what might please your family!

When I'm looking for new appetizer ideas, I also check out Pinterest (you can find me there as Famfriendsfood) - here's a link to my Appetizers and Munchies board.

What are your favorite quick and easy appetizers to serve at casual get-togethers?



 Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.

Comments

Love all your ideas as we do a lot of impromptu entertaining also. Happy holiday entertaining!
Love all your ideas as we do a lot of impromptu entertaining also. Happy holiday entertaining!

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