It's Party Time! Appetizers to Make Your Party a Success

The success or failure of a party can often be found in the food served.  To keep your party flowing and your guests noshing, try these delicious, easy and economical appetizer recipes.  They are sure to earn you compliments from your guests.  Bacon Parmesan Cheese Ball, Chicken Nut Puffs, and Crunchy Crab Dip insure you will have something to please everyone!

CHUNKY CRAB DIP

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp grated lemon zest

8 oz container pasteurized lump crabmeat, drained

1/4 cup chopped red pepper

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1/4 tsp black pepper

dash of salt

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice and lemon zest together.  Stir in crabmeat, red pepper, celery, parsley, salt and pepper.  Mix all together well.  Serve with an assortment of small party breads or crackers, whole-grain preferably.

NOTE:  For a pretty party presentation, cut the tops off bell peppers and seed them.  Serve dip in the seeded peppers.  Red and green peppers are nice for Christmas, yellow and green for St. Patricks Day or Easter, red for Valentine's Day, etc.

CHICKEN NUT PUFFS

1 1/2 cups finely chopped, cooked chicken breast

1/3 cup chopped, toasted almonds

1 cup fat-free chicken broth

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbs dried parsley flakes

1 tsp seasoned salt

1/2 tsp celery seed

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup egg substitute

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Spray 2 or 3 cookie sheets, according to size, with nonstick cooking spray.  Combine chicken and almonds; set aside.  In a large saucepan, combine broth, oil, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, celery seed and cayenne pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms.  Remove from the heat and let stand 5 minutes.  Add egg substitute gradually, beating well.  Beat mixture until smooth.  Stir in chicken and almonds.  Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets.  Bake 12-14 minutes or until brown.  Serve warm.  This should make about 36 balls.

BACON-PARMESAN CHEESE BALL

2 pkgs (8 oz each) low-fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

10 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion

finely chopped pecans for rolling, if desired

Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and Parmesan cheese in a large mixing bowl; beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until blended.  Stir in the bacon and green onion.  Cover and chill 3-4 hours.  Shape mixture in a ball.  Roll in finely crushed pecans, if desired.  Serve with assorted whole wheat or other whole grain crackers.

Enjoy and have a great party!