New Year's Party....Easy-Peasey Appetizers! YUM:0)

Four weeks ago I decided to have a Christmas Party. Two weeks ago I had the party and it was a hit. I made all the appetizers myself and made sure that they could be made a head of time. I had enough to do prior to my companies arrival. My menu was all finger foods. I started with Cranberry Meatballs in a wonderful Cranberry & Chili sauce than made the Deviled Eggs with Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese, and last but not least Bacon Wrapped-Brown Sugared Smokies. Listed below are all the recipes. Enjoy!

thanks for taking a peek ~

Cranberry Meatballs

Ingredients:

 

2 pounds ground chuck

2 large eggs

Click to see savings

1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 (16-ounce) can cranberry sauce

1 (12-ounce) jar chili sauce

1/4 cup orange marmalade

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

 

Preparation

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Shape mixture into about 54 (1-inch) balls.
2. Cook meatballs, in batches, in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned (about 5 minutes); remove meatballs from pan, and drain well on paper towels.
3. Stir together cranberry and chili sauces and next 5 ingredients in a large Crock Pot. Add meatballs; reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes or until centers are no longer pink.
4. Note: To make ahead, place cooked meatballs in a zip-top plastic freezer bag, and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated.

 

Deviled Eggs with Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese

Ingredients

6 large eggs

3 tablespoons minced smoked salmon (about 1 oz.)

3 tablespoons minced green onions

3 tablespoons softened cream cheese

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Garnishes: fresh dill, smoked salmon slivers, sweet paprika

 

Preparation

Place eggs and enough water to cover in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. Drain; return eggs to saucepan, and add enough cold water and ice to cover. Let cool. Remove shells from eggs, halve each egg lengthwise, and scrape yolks into a bowl. Reserve egg whites.

1. Combine yolks, salmon, and next 7 ingredients, mashing with a fork until well blended. Spoon filling into reserved whites, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Garnish, if desired.

Sugar Bacon - Wrapped Smokies

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

1 - 16 oz. package small cooked smoked sausage links

15 - slices of bacon, each cut crosswise into thirds

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil; lightly coat with cooking spray. Set aside.

 Wrap each sausage link with a bacon piece, overlapping the bacon piece at the end. Press the end of the bacon piece to seal or secure it with a wooden toothpick.

  Place brown sugar in a large plastic storage bag. Add several bacon-wrapped sausages to bag and seal. Shake bag gently to coat sausages with brown sugar; place sausages in prepared pan. Repeat with remaining bacon-wrapped sausages and brown sugar.

 Bake about 30 minutes or until the bacon is browned. Serve immediately. Makes about  45 appetizers.

 

YUMMY!