@bjkmom, I think that’s the recipe that my boss brings to office potlucks. She keeps the crock pot going in her office until lunchtime. People are really enthusiastic about those meatballs.
Tomato feta bruschetta are great and the colors are very festive. I haven’t made these in ages and can’t find the recipe for exact proportions, but it is quite easy and tastes great at room temp.
Ingredients
feta cheese (you can buy pre-crumbled or a block and crumble yourself)
roma tomatoes
1 baguette
Prepared pesto (or make it yourself)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
If you bought a block of feta, crumble the feta. Slice the roma tomatoes.
Cut the baguette into 28-30 slices. Spread a dollop of the pesto on each slice. Top with a slice of tomato, then some crumbled feta. Bake for about 10 minutes.
I think this tastes wonderful at room temperature!
@lookingforward , in the last year or so I read somewhere that the thing to do with roasted vegetables is to preheat the oven to about 450 - 500 with the empty baking pans, preferably sheet pans, lined with foil inside the oven. Toss the vegetables with olive oil and whatever spices/herbs you are using in a big bowl–right now, I’m going for herbes de provence and coarse salt–and when the oven is hot quickly dump them on the hot sheet pans, quickly spread them out, and return to the oven. You’ll hear them sizzle when they hit the pan. 
None of the steaming problem that sometimes occurs.
You need enough pan space to cook them in a single layer. I like to cook them until some things have achieved a little char.
On Sunday, we roasted a wide variety of vegetables as the side dish for our monthly free community dinner: carrots, sweet potatoes, red onions, yellow onions, cauliflower, broccoli, butternut squash, delicata squash, parsnips, red peppers, beets, leeks and some things I didn’t recognize! Mostly donations from the Thanksgiving cornucopia. I had volunteers peeling and chopping vegetables for a couple of hours. (We agreed on a new rule: no one is allowed to donate fall squashes to the dinners unless they also come to peel and chop them ) They were a big hit. One guest came into the kitchen to ask me how to make them. I gave her the remains of my herbes de provence.
BTW, regarding my initial suggestion of smoked trout mousse and cucumber slices, it has the advantage of being both gluten free and low carb: something that can be hard to find.
I like to avoid aluminum foil whenever possible. Regency brand parchment paper is rated for up to 450F.
I use glass baking dishes for roasted veggies. The trick is to keep them in a single layer and use enough oil so they don’t stick to the dish.
But for antipasto kind of appetizer plates, grilled veggies are the best.
Pinwheels - best if made ahead. Spread some cream cheese mixed with a little mayonnaise on a tortilla wrap (flavored cream cheese is good, too). Add a couple of slices of deli turkey, chopped cooked bacon, chopped tomatoes and sliced pepperoncinis. Roll up tightly, and wrap in saran wrap until ready to serve. You can easily keep them in a small cooler. When you get to where you’re going, slice them into pinwheels. I think they hold together better with a pretty toothpick. You can also change it up and use ham and cheese, etc.
@MaterS - what do you have against aluminum foil? Not judging - just curious.
You should google cooking with aluminum foil. There are health risks.
The strongest argument against aluminum foil I have ever heard was the energy one: aluminum is an electricity hog to produce. And most foil, unlike cans, ends up in the garbage, so you are sending energy to the landfill.
I recycle it. Unless it is gunked up with melted on cheese or something
A favorite whereever I go is a Tex mex tortilla appetizer. Not only can it be made ahead but should be, can also be frozen and thawed later. For the mixture combine 1 block cream cheese, 1 small can of green chiles, 1/2 tsp garlic salt and a couple of chopped green onions. It really is all to taste. Combine it all, spread on flour tortillas. Roll up and chill 4 hours or more or freeze. Cut into 1 inch pieces and serve with salsa or picante sauce. Easy to make, take and serve.
@Consolation I have my folded up pieces of aluminum ready for reuse.
Cooking with aluminum foil at high temperatures in direct contact with food is a personal choice. I was exposed to health safety risks during my professional career and I choose to avoid as many as possible now.
This is why I like it when my CSA gives me delicata or kabocha squashes for fall squashes. Edible rind.
I often make cheese puffs (gougères), they disappear in a minute.
I take the Holiday Bacon appy by Pioneer Woman. Always a big hit. Can be made ahead. Frozen til needed. Served room temp. People are like locusts when I put them out. Always get asked for recipe.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/flashback_1981_-_holiday_bacon_appetizers/
@Consolation Thanks for the tip. Yes, my issue has been that the veggies steamed. I’d even tried leaving more space between the pieces, to no avail.
OMG those bacon crackers things…!!! (post #55) I want to just try ONE…
I want to try ONE PAN of them…
Oh my goodness those bacon thingies look delicious.