Recipe Rescue: Appetizing Party Bites

Holiday parties, planned or impromptu are fun and a great way to catch up with friends and family, now what to serve them?

Stand outside of the pack and stay away from opening a can of peanuts and pouring a bag of chips into a bowl and give way to some easy and quick party bites.

CAPRESE SALAD STICKS

Grape tomatoes, fresh pearl mozzarella, fresh basil and olive oil-oh and Hors'Devour picks. Chop up the fresh basil and add to a medium bowl with about a quarter cup of olive oil, mix and add the mozzarella and swirl the bowl till the cheese is coated. Put a grape tomato on the pick followed by a piece of cheese.

JALAPENO BITES

Fresh or pickled jalapenos (chopped-if using fresh remove seeds), cream cheese and a package of biscuits or puff pastry. If using biscuits, separate one biscuit into to complete rounds and push or roll out a bit. In a separate bowl cream together the jalapenos and cream cheese till well blended. Place a heaping teaspoon of the mixture in the center of your dough, wrap into a ball and put seam down on a sprayed baking sheet. Bake at 375 until the dough is golden brown.

BREEZY CHEESE TART

A round of brie cheese (cut into bite sized squares), granulated sugar and a jar of seedless raspberry preserves. Put the preserves into a medium bowl and add the bite sized squares of cheese, toss till the cheese is lightly coated. Carefully remove the cheese pieces, put two or three on a pick and sprinkle with sugar.