Fabulous Buffet and Finger Food Recipe Ideas

Want to wow your guests with an amazing buffet and finger food menu? You might think you'll have to work your own little fingers to the bone. Nope. With the easy, elegant finger foods recipes here (and maybe a friendly kitchen helper or two), you can whip up some super-special cocktail party appetizers or an elegant finger food buffet pretty easily. Without breaking your spirit or your bank account balance.

So read on for some buffet and finger food recipes that will have your dinner party guests raving. Just try not to be offended if fifteen guests with their mouths full smother you with compliments (and maybe a fleck or two of food).

This make-ahead buffet and finger food recipe will have your guests rushing back to the table for more. Creamy mozzarella, pungent basil, and tangy tomatoes really make this dish. This is also one of those finger foods that's easy to eat-- even standing up at a cocktail party or casual buffet.

Ingredients:
Marinade:
1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2/3 C. chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Skewers:
2 pints cherry tomato (cherry pear tomatoes are best)
1 lb. bite-sized fresh ciliegine mozzarella
1 bunch fresh basil, leaves separated
6-inch bamboo skewers

Directions: In a small bowl, mix vinegar, salt, pepper, and oil til well combined. Add basil.

Combine mozzarella and tomatoes in a large bowl. Add marinade and mix gently (careful-- the mozzarella is a little delicate).

Cover and refrigerate from 30 mins to 2 hours (don't marinate too long).

Remove cheese and tomatoes from marinade and skewer them as desired, making either small or large appetizer caprese kabobs. Suggested pattern is: one mozzarella ball, one basil leaf, one tomato. Repeat if desired, or make them mini-kabobs and move onto the next one.

Like crab rangoon wontons? You'll love this, and so will your guests. These are prettier to present, easier to make, and a heck of a lot healthier than the kind you get at your local Chinese restaurant-- these appetizer wontons are baked in the oven rather than fried. Make plenty, as these will fly off your buffet and finger food table.

Ingredients:

Crab Filling
1/2 tbsp. butter
2 green onions, chopped
3 oz. cream cheese, cut into pieces
1/3 C. mayonnaise
4 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. paprika (optional)
2/3 c. crab meat (canned works okay)

Wontons:
12 wonton wrappers
1/2 tbsp. butter, melted

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare pan by spraying mini-muffin tins with oil or cooking spray.

To prepare filling, saute green onion in butter til tender. Reduce heat to low. Add cheeses and mayo and stir constantly until melted. Add lemon and all seasonings except paprika.

Gently stir in crab meat. Heat 1-2 minutes, until warm.

To prepare wontons, gently brush each wonton with butter before placing in mini muffin tins. Let edges of wonton wrapper stick up from top of tins.

Add filling to wonton wrappers, and bake 12-15 minutes, til golden and crispy. Sprinkle filling with a pinch of paprika, if desired.

These very well may be the star of your buffet and finger food table.

These snacky-sweet finger foods are the perfect combination of sweet, salty, tangy, and creamy. People may look at you a little odd when you set out these little buffet table appetizers, but once they taste them, they'll be hooked. This may just become a buffet and finger food staple at your dinner parties.

Ingredients:
1/3 C. soft, fresh goat cheese
16 pitted dates
16 basil leaves
4 slices of thin-sliced Spanish Jamon Serrano (similar to prosciutto)
16 toothpicks

Instructions: Cut each slice of jamon into four long strips.

Stuff about one teaspoon of goat cheese into the cavity of each date. Wrap a bail leaf around each date, then a long slice of jamon.

Spear with a toothpick to secure jamon. Place under broiler, and broil until cheese is hot and bubbly, 3-4 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning the jamon. Serve warm.

Note: To make assembling this appetizer recipe easy, simply do it ahead of time. Then broil right before serving, and they'll be perfectly warm for your buffet and finger food table.

This finger foods recipe sounds a little weird, doesn't it? Chances are, you'll have to encourage some people to try it-- otherwise they'll sit in your buffet and finger food display untouched. But once tasted, these unusual, creative appetizers will disappear. So make more than you think you'll need. This buffet appetizer recipe is based off of one found in The New Carry-Out Cuisine Cookbook... but I've made a few little adjustments of my own.

Ingredients:

Nuts:
2 C. shelled walnut halves
1/4 C. soy sauce
3 tbsp. rice wine
2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger
2 tsp. Asian hot sauce (I like hot Thai chili sauce)
1 tbsp. dark brown sugar

Apricots:
2 tbsp. Amaretto liqueur
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened (low fat is fine)
1 lb. dried apricot halves

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To prepare nuts, line a jelly-roll pan with parchment paper. Spread nuts over paper.

Heat other walnut ingredients in a saucepan until sugar dissolves. Pour over nuts, coating well.

Bake nuts 15-20 minutes,stirring occasionally.

While still hot, remove nuts to a a tray covered in foil or parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray or oil.

To make apricots, combine cream cheese and Amaretto in a medium bowl until well-mixed and fluffy. Place a small spoonful of cream cheese mixture on each apricot half. Top with a teriyaki walnut half.

Watch these sweet and savory little appetizer bites fly off your buffet and finger food display!

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