Hot Appetizers

I've shown you some of the things we served at our recent party. Easy party trays. Southwestern dips. And easy hors d'oeuvres. I also like to provide variety by offering a couple of hot appetizers. They take a little more work since you have to prepare them right before the party and replenish regularly so they stay warm. They're usually a big hit though. Well worth the effort.

(Hint: If you entertain enough, you might want to invest in a warming tray or chafing dish. Then, you don't have to replenish things as often to keep them warm.)

Here are some easy recipes to try. The first two rely on premade phyllo cups that you can buy in the freezer section of your grocery store.

Crab Puffs
Makes 15 puffs. I doubled the recipe for our party, but ended up with leftover filling. You might just make one batch of filling and use for two boxes of phyllo cups.

1 (7 ounce) package Cajun crab dip (in grocery store seafood department)
2 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 package frozen phyllo cups (15 per package)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine crab dip, mayo and cheese and mix well.

Fill each cup with crab mix and bake for 8-10 minutes. Serve hot.

Artichoke Puffs
Makes thirty puffs.

2 boxes phyllo cups
1 1/2 cups drained, chopped, marinated artichoke hearts
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons minced chives
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir filling ingredients together in medium bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Fill shells with mixture and sprinkle with reserved cheese.

Bake for 8 minutes. Serve warm.

Roasted Mushrooms Stuffed with Bacon and Blue Cheese
I got this recipe from a great appetizer book. The Big Book of Appetizers.
It made too much filling for the mushrooms, so I've been trying to come up with a good idea for the leftover filling. Maybe crusted on top of a cooked steak and broiled until browned. Or in a baked potato. I haven't quite figured it out yet. If you try the recipe and have an idea, let me know.

48 button mushrooms, up to 1 1/2 inches in diameter
8 ounces bacon
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 ounces (about 3/4 cup) blue cheese, crumbled
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups white breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop stems finely. Set aside.

Cook the bacon in skillet (or microwave) until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Coarsely crumble when cool.

Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and mushroom stems and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool. Mix in the crumbled bacon, blue cheese, cream cheese, breadcrumbs and thyme. Season the filling to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss mushroom caps and 1/4 cup olive oil in a large bowl to coat. (You can also use 1/4 cup of reserved bacon grease to coat mushrooms if you choose.) Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place, rounded side down in a single layer on foil-lined baking sheets. Bake 25 minutes-caps will fill with liquid. Turn caps over and bake until brown and the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes longer. Turn caps back over and fill with filling mixture.

Bake stuffed mushrooms until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.