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The best season of the year will soon be here!
Do you want to decorate the halls and have a festive time? If you plan out the amazing meal and envision all the pretty decorations, don’t forget some party-opening appetizers!
A buffet of apps sets the tone for a tasty party with friends and family. It feeds everyone’s appetite, creates smiles, and unites folks around the kitchen table.
I’ll share in this big post my favorite easy app prep recipes and all the amazing stuff you absolutely must have to get apps made with joy.
Let’s start!
1. Make Quick Dips and Meatballs in the Instant Pot
Your Instant Pot will be your most valued cooking companion. This wand-like multi-cooker will make making dips, meatballs, and more easy.
Never again mustering hours in front of a burning stove to prep appetizers! Foods cook in the Instant Pot using pressure steam.
This utensil would make you think of soft and smooth spinach and artichoke dip in 10 minutes — not 45 in the oven. Easily reduce salsa, queso, or hot crab dip quickly to serve with tortilla and pita chips. When put in pressure, the flavors squirt with intensity!
Do not go out and buy packaged frozen meatballs for $1. The Instant Pot makes them simple and fast! Fry a batch frozen or prepare meat and seasonings in the stainless steel inner pot. Just right.
Tomatoes, beans and other veggies cook down beautifully in the Instant Pot, as well as making dips and spreads. Hummus, babaghanoush, black bean dip- the list goes on and on. With this classic appliance, you’ll have your apps ready before your first guest rolls in!
2. Grill Veggie Platters on the Ninja Foodi
Gourmet grillable vegetable plates done to perfection on the Ninja Foodi Grill, even in the middle of winter! Don’t be stuck out in the cold on a deck, knee-deep in meat and veggies. With this grill you’re burning your kitchen.
The Ninja Foodi uses powerful cyclonic air technology that wicks out deadly 500°F heat in all directions so food is cooked to char and caramelise to perfection. Probably even better than your real one!
Cut up zucchini, mushrooms, onions, eggplant, sweet potatoes, pineapple – whatever. Fry them in a little olive oil and seasonings and grill until fork-tender and with nice grill marks. My favourite!
Grilled vegetables can be served hot or cold as a prep-in advance appetizer. Their delicate char will bring colour to any holiday event. The people who visit will be amazed! The Ninja Foodi is one appliance you don’t want to miss out on.
3. Microwave Cook Meats In Breville Smart Oven
After having set up an abundant appetizer lineup, you’ll have to keep them warm until serve. It’s the Breville Smart Oven Pro for you – the best friend of your appetizer!
This smart oven has so many different options for preserving food at just the right temperature and thickness for serving. Convection mode draws warm air round the room. It’s also great for crispy bruschetta toast and puff pastries.
The wide wide lid holds a 12″ pizza or a few mini quiches- great for parties! From slow-cooking dips to broiling steaks, Element IQ automatically adjusts the heat balance from 9 pre-programmed options for optimal results.
When it’s time to roll, your apps will be kissable hot, crisp and irresistible. This oven puts the lights on for you while you eat your appetizers late into the night. Great gift for any host or hostess!
4. Mix Up Creamy Dips in a KitchenAid Stand Mixer
If it’s dips and spreads, use the KitchenAid stand mixer to hammer them out! Its powerful motor and accessories will brew through even the most heavy, chunky combustibles comfortably.
The power hub offers 10+ speeds to mix all ingredients without overheating them. Simply break down cold butter into dry ingredients in the bowl for shortbread fillings and crackers.
The bowl lift has sturdy support to transport large quantities. Using the wire whisk, whiz the sour cream, herbs, bacon and seasoning to a creamy uniform consistency.
The handy attachments such as the food grinder and shredder streamline cooking. Everyone in your house will be asking you what’s behind your creamy delicious KitchenAid dips!
5. Bake Savory Dishes in Le Creuset Stoneware
Make sure to get your hands on Le Creuset’s best enamelled stoneware baking trays to make lovely, mouthwatering small bites to serve. The solid stoneware cooks heat gently and evenly for well-cooked results, every time.
These recipes can be used for melting cheese dips, making hummus or tzatziki, baking mini quiches, empanadas, hand pies and more.
The painted outlines serve as effortless serving plates, taking you from oven to table. They’ll brighten up any holiday table setting. Even better, glazed enamel interiors prevent sticking and stains.
Le Creuset stoneware, will regale your holiday appetizer table for years to come.
6. Prep in Progressive Mixing Bowls
Cooking apps can’t be started without all the ingredients ready to go. So save yourself the stress with Progressive Prep Solutions’ Collapsible Mixing Bowls. These bowls will make you prep like a pro!
The rubber bowls fold flat for compact storage. At the end of the day, they swing open for generous amount of room for all your cutting, seasoning, marinating and blending.
The light weight substance is easy to microwavable, and won’t react to contents. And its wide bowl bottom keeps sealed messy goodness contained!
The flat rim allows for even dispensing into baking pans. Stock up on these smaller bowls so you can make appetizer preparation a breeze and much more.
7. Assemble Beautiful Cheese Boards
You can’t beat a jaw-dropping cheese board to make guests want to come running to your door. Choose lovely bamboo board that can make your presentation stand out.
Bamboo cheese boards are rounded or rectangular and can be provided with built-in handles to serve it. The deep and sustainable bamboo wood appears sleek and contemporary on any table.
Add sliced cheeses, such as sharp cheddar, Brie, Gouda, Havarti and Manchego to your boards. It also goes well with pepperoni, salami, prosciutto, nuts and dried fruits.
Make small containers with honey, fig jam, olive tapenade, and mustard for drizzling on cheeses and meats. Lay out festive breads and crackers next. Your guests will be in awe of your creative charcuterie abilities!
8. Chop and Prep on OXO Cutting Boards
When you’re putting together the cheese boards and platters, you need to chop everything up. OXO Good Grips cutting boards are for you!
There’s a soft rubber grip that prevents the boards from rattling around. Give those knives a hammering. The angled juice groove easily extracts liquids from cut fruits and vegetables.
Cut up cheeses in different shapes. Fold and slice deli pieces for bouquets. Slice breads and crackers finely. OXO boards are available in different sizes so you can accommodate any ingredient.
Pretty presentation is the trick to stunning party platters. These boards slice the block!
9. Portion with OXO Angled Measuring Cups
To make your appetizers taste balanced and tasty, you will want to portion things precisely. OXO Angled Measuring Cups allow you to take exact measurements every time.
Its slanted edges make it very easy to see what’s inside as you add ingredients. With non-slip handles, you can comfortably handle it from any position. They also come in a complete selection of both dry and wet quantities.
If you are getting the proportions just right, your dips, sauces, breads and other appetizers will always come out perfect-seasoned. That’s art!
10. Bake Mini Treats in Anchor Hocking
Serve people generously sized appetizers using Anchor Hocking glass baking pans. These mini pans let you bake, fry and serve single app/desserts.
The oven-safe borosilicate glass is resistant to high temperatures and bakes evenly. Sample mini quiches, hand pies, crostinis, palmiers, meatballs, etc.
Plate individual servings onto tier ed plates and platters for an attractive starter tray. Your visitors will be impressed with the assortment of little bites that you’ve put together for them.
The glass bowls are super easy to load in the dishwasher and don’t pick up any stains or odours either. Anchor Hocking, low-cost, trusted glassware that will elevate your travel apps.
Final Thoughts
These holidays are all about connecting with your closest people around plates of good food. Your appetizer station establishes the mood of the entire evening, so be sure to pamper it!
Use this checklist to make your vacation apps great this year. Prep can be done easily by leveraging intelligent appliances. Cook appetizers today! Bake them into delicious treats. Make hearty cheese and veggie platters full of holiday cheer.