When you’re planning and hosting a party, figuring out what to serve can be a dilemma. Whether it’s an all-out dinner or not, snack foods of some kind are usually expected.
What you need are a range of hostess snack ideas to always have at hand, so you can choose from your list quickly whenever you have a get together. Try out a few of these and write your favorites down on a list.
Just remember to store your list in the same place you keep all your other recipes. That way, you won’t lose it and find yourself desperate for ideas.
Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip: This stuff disappears fast at parties! It’s best complemented by pieces of French bread, tortilla chips, crackers, or even veggies such as carrot sticks. Note: Although some variations of this recipe recommend nuts, it’s safest to avoid nuts. You never know who has nut allergies.
- 2 jars marinated artichoke hearts, chopped and well-drained - 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded. (Low-fat is OK, avoid nonfat because it won’t melt well) - 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated - 1 garlic clove, minced - 1 cup mayonnaise
Preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Mix up all the listed ingredients in an oven-safe dish (decorative baking dish will do fine). Bake for 45 minutes or until the dip is hot and bubbling. Warn your guests, it’s hot!
Sandwich Loaf: A hostess snack standard from the seventies, this main dish always impresses people at a luncheon!
- 1 large loaf white bread - 3 fillings of your choice (ham salad, egg salad, etc. are popular choices, but you could also use deli meats thinly sliced) - 1/4 cup of softened margarine - 2 packages of softened cream cheese - 1/2 cup half & half
Trim the crusts from the loaf of bread, so they’re rectangular in shape. Cut it horizontally into four large slices.
Butter one side of a slice of bread, then lay it face-up on the serving plate. Add the sandwich filling, spreading evenly.
Continue layering buttered bread and sandwich fillings. Combine the cream cheese and half and half to create a frosting, and frost the loaf thickly.
Add garnishes of parsley, then slice vertically to create individual servings.
Have fun at your party, and good luck creating the best hostess snack!