Party Panache, Spur of the Moment Appetizer Buffet
My favorite way to entertain is to invite friends over for appetizers, it’s casual, perfect for last minute, and guests only stay for several hours
Do everything in advance so you can sit back and enjoy the gathering
Clean up is minimal with an appetizer buffet, there are less things to put away without a table setting
Even though HH and I were whipped 😵 after 5 days with grands over the holiday weekend, we wanted to catch up with some island friends
Rather than fighting the summer crowds at restaurants, it’s much nicer to stay home and relax
I will go to great lengths to avoid a trip to the grocery, and love the challenge of creating dishes from what’s on hand
This is a flatbread topped with fig jam and pear paste or preserves*, blueberries, bacon, bleu cheese and Parmesan
*or use fresh figs or pears
Crazy combo, crazy good!
I had burger meat in the freezer, and plenty of tortillas and cheese in the fridge, so I decided to make taco quesadillas
To make fast and easy quesadillas I cooked a batch of taco seasoned ground beef and layered it between 2 flour tortillas with lots of grated cheese to hold it together. I assembled these early in the day and refrigerated them. Right before serving I sprayed them with olive oil and baked them on a cookie sheet and cut them into triangles
The cut quesadilla triangles were piled on a plate along with colorful peppers, tomatoes, romaine, chips and guacamole for dipping
Wholly Guacamole is a new favorite convenience food and comes in handy minis so you can have as much or as little as you like
I got the tomato bowl and turquoise and red plate [it’s melamie!] at Home Goods recently
The blue fish platter was a Home Goods find last year and the square plates are from Christmas Tree Shop a few years ago
The big red fish platter was a gift from my mom a long time ago
Spend a few minutes laying out serving pieces early in the day, and then you can just add the food at the last minute
Provide small plates so guests and help themselves to a little of everything and then move around so people aren’t hovering over the buffet
Even though I only made 2 things, all the food groups were present, meat, vegetables, fruit, cheese and bread and it was a rainbow 🌈
Fast and Fabulous Flatbread
Ingredients
- refrigerated pizza crust dough like Pillsbury pizza crust in a can
- 1/4 cup fig jam
- 4 oz pear paste pear preserves or 1-2 thinly sliced ripe fresh pears
- 8-10 slices bacon cooked* and torn into 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 – 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 2-3 oz crumbled bleu cheese
- 2 oz shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Shape dough into a large rectangle and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Prick surface all over with fork tines and bake at 400 degrees until firm and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Spread crust with fig jam and pear paste or preserves, or top fig spread with pear slices. Distribute bacon pieces and blueberries evenly over all sprinkle with cheeses. Return to oven for 10 minutes or until cheeses have melted and crust is golden brown. Cut into small squares for serving
Notes
here are some bonuses to entertaining this way-
BONUS 1: these recipes are just as good at room temperature, and can safely stay out for several hours, making them perfect for party buffets
BONUS 2: add prepared snacks, like Wild Snax, or popcorn for more variety
BONUS 3: dessert is optional for this type of party, guests don’t really expect it. If you want to be a super hostess, wrap a cookie, snacks or some chocolates as a departing party favor
and here
Remember we eat with the eyes, so set the stage, Presentation is Everything
Daisy Dip is just chips and prepared onion dip garnished with fresh vegetables
With these things on hand I can create just about anything for breakfast, lunch or dinner
Or make your own customized list, I made this one with PicMonkey
Keep the “E”s in Entertaining!
Be sure to visit more ideas on keeping the “E”s in Entertaining here
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I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs
Celebrate and Decorate, Rustic and Refined,
Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Cooking and Crafting with J&J, The Scoop, Something to Talk About, A Stroll Thru Life Inspire Me Monday
Crafty Staci, Tickle My Tastebuds, Wow Us Wednesday
Full Plate Thursday, Work it Wednesday
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That’s my kind of entertaining Jenna! We love fig preserves with blue cheese or goat cheese in ready-made fillo shells, topped with a chopped walnuts or pecans for a no bake appetizer. Thanks for your second helping of your adorable and tasty Daisy Dip, I need to remember next time we’re having a crowd!
Nothing is better than noshing:@)
I love your ideas Jenna! i live on a lake in Alabama and am always looking cute lake/fish decorating ideas and easy entertaining inspiration.
Thanks, Linda! I’ve noticed there is so much cute lake stuff out these days, have you checked out Swoozie’s, they have a bunch. You can look on line if you can’t get to the Summit >
Spontaneity is often best in entertaining but it’s especially great when it’s at a well stocked house like yours Jenna! Dying over that flatbread!
Johanne Lamarche
>
This is one of my favorite ways to entertain, spur of the moment ideas for get togethers. It’s always fun to call up friends and invite them over for catching up and keeping it simple in the kitchen is always a must. A great break from the planned occasions. Love your food, easy to make and always a pretty presentation. Great tips for staying on top of kitchen inventory. Love the pretty serving dishes. Thanks for the tips.
Enjoy the weekend………
I hate to go grocery shopping more than once a week or so, so I try to stay as stocked up as possible! Thanks Emily, looks like a HOT weekend, stay cool! >
I love impromptu gatherings too!
What a great recipe that you have shared too and flatbread is a wonderful go-to.
Great to have you join us at TOHOT!
Jemma
Oh Jenna – we are such birds of a feather! Love your party ideas! I was getting together last night with a group of 6 ladies who haven’t all been in the same room together since 8th grade. We’ve mostly all seen each other through the years individually or in different groups, but never all 6 of us together. A friend arranged for us to meet at a restaurant for dinner. When it was a day before, I texted my friend and asked if we could just have it at my house, sit on the back porch, order pizza, drink wine, and relax. I made some fresh homemade guacamole and chips, homemade oatmeal raisin cookies, and ordered pizza to be delivered, others brought wine and salad and dessert. We laughed till our stomachs hurt, reminisced, had a few tears, and would never have had as much fun in a restaurant. I don’t care about perfection of home or food, it is the people. Fun food and a comfortable place to be help, but perfection doesn’t matter – right?! Also – love your list of staples – spot on!! 🙂
Thanks Jodi, your gathering sounds perfect, it’s much easier to mingle and relax and talk to everyone in a home environment than it is in a restaurant. I love your ordering in idea too! >
This post is really inspiring to me because we eat out far too much! You’ve given fantastic eat at home and entertain ideas. It really does help to see beautiful food and pretty settings like yours.
Happy Thoughts of Home. 🙂
The Daisy Dip is brilliant. A store-bought dip with chips, garnished with veggies. It looks so pretty and is SO simple. A must for me in the very near future.
I pinned your appetizers today. I would want to eat the entire pan of the flatbread myself. I love the juxtaposition of the flavors of all the ingredients. Daisy dip is so cute and would be a conversation piece. Love all your colorful dishes. You are a great hostess.
Thank you Bonnie! That’s such a nice compliment from you who I consider to be an incredible hostess! I hope you make that flatbread, it is so good! Leftovers are great too, it reheats well in toaster oven or oven >
I love this post, Jenna. The flatbread sounds amazing with the complexity of flavors, yum, fig anything is great! I have an 8′ island that is perfect to lay an appetizer spread. Thanks for the inspiration!
Yes, perfect for a party spread Pam!! >
Jenna, you make entertaining fun instead of work! You always show how easy it really is, with simple fare.
Have a great weekend.
Thanks Marigene, I think it’s more fun to make a bunch of apps than a full dinner- >
So many great tips and your flat bread looks so good. Thank you for so faithfully joining us at Thoughts of Home on Thursday. You are a treasured blogging friend.
Thanks Laura! >
Jenna- thank you for sharing your wonderful entertaining and pantry ideas.
I love reading posts like this.
Thank you for being at TOHOT.
Great fun ideas! That would be my favorite way of entertaining. Being spontaneous is always the best. Your food looks delicious and amazing.
Thanks Valerie, I like to think of it as barefoot entertaining 🙂 >
Thank you for the staple list it will come in handy and I love your appetizer party. Sometimes they are more fun than a full blown dinner party.
Thanks Sandra, entertaining has become more casual these days, just like everything else, but I do miss the more formal dinner parties… >
I’m all about easy and spur of the moment entertaining as well. Your guests must have enjoyed your appetizer buffet…the flatbreads really caught my eye.
thanks Karen, flatbreads and pizza are my go to dishes for everything- >
Everything looks so delicious!! YUMMY!!
I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for Recipes and Crafts: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Yes, it all like so good and yummy. 🙂
TFS at Cooking and Crafting with J & J.
Enjoy the week.
Julie
It all looks wonderful. And I like your pretty painted plates and platters
Amalia
xo
Thanks Amalia! >
These are great ideas and I love your chart! Hope you have a very special Fathers Day Weekend and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen