Summer is such a great time for get-togethers and eating! Impress your friends by bringing some cute hors d’oeuvres to your next party. Half the time the secret to a great dish is presentation, so stick to simple foods you can make easily and use your creativity to spice them up. Try these 3 ideas below for some cute and easy foods.
1. Chicken Dip Scoops
I learned this recipe from working as a server for an independent catering company. The chicken dip is so tasty and when you spoon a little of the dip into a tortilla scoop (we used Tostitos scoops, pictured above), it creates the perfect bite. The dip is simple to make. You combine one package of cream cheese (room temp), one packet of ranch dressing mix, and one can of chicken breast and that’s it! Once the dip is done, spoon into individual Tostitos scoops and serve on a plater.
ECG Tip: Try not to make these too far in advance because the chips will get soggy.
2. Cut Out Sandwiches
An easy way to make any sandwich more appealing to pick up and eat is to cut them out in fun shapes. And you can do this with just about any sandwich. I love a good chicken salad with grapes, nuts, and celery or maybe tuna salad. You can also stick to a classic PB&J. To make the sandwiches really cute decorate the very top of the sandwich too. For example, if you’re making a chicken salad sandwich cut in a little circle, top it off with a tiny bit of cream cheese and bit of green pepper cut in a diamond to contrast with the circular sandwich.
Want to make it a dessert sandwich?
Skip the chicken salad and use Nutella instead, which some raspberries or strawberries mixed in. Top with a little Nutella (or cream cheese) and a cute sliver of strawberry.
3. Brownie Cakes
This brownie cake idea is a similar idea to the Cut Out Sandwiches. Bake a pan of brownies, dust the top with powdered sugar, and then cut into cute shapes, like the hearts above. How fun are those to eat? And if you’re feeling creative, you can decorate the top just like the sandwiches.
Want to go above and beyond?
Serve one or two brownies on a single plate. Drizzle the brownie with chocolate and caramel sauce. You can even make designs with the sauces, like curlicues or you can write someone’s name on the bottom of the plate and then hand deliver the chocolate goodness.
What Do You Think?
What kind of treats do you look forward to at parties? What do you usually bring? Leave us a comment and let us know!
The cut out sandwiches are cute! When I was first getting to know my boyfriend, he invited me over for a potluck. I couldn’t think anything to bring so I brought peanut butter and nutella sandwiches. I should have cut them out!