<p>We don’t belong to Costco. Closest one is 20 minutes away. I’ll go with a friend three times a year…buy far too much of stuff that I didn’t know that I needed.</p>
<p>Here is an easy appetizer that we love (we eat them for dinner sometimes!).</p>
<ul>
<li>Slice a baguette</li>
<li>Spread each slice with a soft herb cheese (we like herb & garlic flavors – things like Allouette or Boursin – only one makes a lower fat cheese, can’t recall which one, but we usually get that)</li>
<li>Place a slice of smoked salmon on top of the cheese (we get those packages where the salmon is in thin slices arranged in around pattern).</li>
<li>Place a thin slice of granny smith apple on top of the salmon. If we are serving it at a party, we rinse the slices in water with some lemon juice added so they don’t get discolored.</li>
</ul>
<p>There is something about the combo of the smokey salmon/tart apple/herb cheese that really makes this appetizer good.</p>
<p>Note: Sorry, missed the no-gluten requirement… hmm… maybe it could be modified somehow so it is not on bread (roll the salmon around the cheese & apple and stick with a toothpick)?</p>
<p>mushrooms with boursin cheese…prebake oiive oil sprayed mushrooms until just about cooked…cool. Fill caps with cheese…bake until the cheese is warm and melty. Done.</p>
<p>^^Same can be done with parmesan-artichoke dip.</p>
<p>This is gluten-free and yummy:</p>
<p>[Cucumber</a> Goat Cheese Mousse Boats Appetizer Recipe (photograph)](<a href=“http://www.finedinings.com/cucumber_goat_cheese_mousse_boats.htm]Cucumber”>Cucumber Goat Cheese Mousse Boats Appetizer - FineDinings.com Recipe)</p>
<p>BunsenBurner, thanks for posting because I absolutely love the whole site! It has great ideas, and some are so easy!</p>
<p>Good morning! The party went well. The tapas were anything but quick and easy, but I was basically making the food for myself and I thought it was delicious. Thanks for all the great ideas, anyone.</p>
<p>Missypie:</p>
<p>What didya’ make? :)</p>
<p>I’m curious too, especially what your favorites were.</p>
<p>I am curious too!</p>
<p>Somemom, I made your onion soup recipe (post 35) and we loved it! Big hit here, and definitely a keeper! The only change that I made was that used more beef broth and I added some Madeira wine (I had an open bottle). I took your advice and put some grated Romano cheese on the bottom of the bowls, excellent suggestion. I also topped with wide thin slivers of Asiago cheese just before serving. Yum!</p>
<p>I made:</p>
<p>meatballs in spicy tomato sauce (a big hit)</p>
<p>brie stuffed with basil & sundried tomatoes baked in puff pastry (not gluten free, I know)</p>
<p>dates wrapped in bacon</p>
<p>spanish tortilla (more like a thick potato fritatta)</p>
<p>I bought olives and humus.</p>
<p>I also made a flourless chocolate cake that was wonderful.</p>
<p>^^Sounds very nice! Hope that you had a great time!</p>
<p>Hi NEmom! :)</p>
<p>Your menu sounded yummy, missypie. Only thing I don’t do is spicy. I’m kinda wimpy in that respect. Everything sounded delicious…not bad for one day’s notice! 
Better tell hubby to make it up to you somehow! :D</p>
<p>I’d like to try the onion soup recipe too, sounds easy enough! Just have to wait till older S goes back to college. He’s pickier than the younger S. They both eat pretty healthily, but I know older S will not eat the onion soup…he doesn’t eat much soup in general. But we do!</p>
<p>Glad it worked out. Happy new Year-</p>
<p>Yum! What did you have for drinks?</p>
<p>Hi Chocchipcookie! Happy New Year to you too, and to all of the other posters/lurkers on this thread!</p>
<p>The “spicy” sauce was only the slightest hint of spicy…just added a touch of cayenne instead of what the recipe called for.</p>
<p>I made a wonderful sangria…read a lot of recipes, then just made it up…red wine, orange juice, citrus that had been soaked in triple sec, ginger ale…ice cubes that were a combination of red wine, OJ and sparkling cider.</p>
<p>NEM- glad you liked it. My family always did onion soup at the holidays and so did I, but it was an old recipe and blah. About 10-15 years ago I began the hunt for a great recipe, this is the based on the best one we found with changes over time. I think it is the intensity of the consumme that gives it great taste! When my Dad was dying I made it for him 3-4 times that last month, as he loved it.</p>
<p>I love the way the house smells when the onions are slow cooking for hours. Best to use a nice heavy thick bottomed pot for that so they don’t get brown edges but just turn golden brown.</p>
<p>A single recipe is a small batch, for 10 of us I made a triple and had about 3 quarts left for the week of leftovers, it all got eaten when Christmas Day foods were enhancing the dog’s meals.</p>
<p>somemom, you might want to try a batch with a bit of the Madeira wine (or some other sweet wine). It really added to the flavor. I am telling you, this got inhaled in my home!</p>
<p>Yeah, I had made some with wine when the kids were younger and they did not like it; I think now that they actually drink wine, that extra depth might be appreciated</p>
<p>Mmmm, missypie. Your husband doesn’t deserve you.</p>
<p>BBQ Cups:
[Barbeque</a> Cups (Mary Lou Hamlin)](<a href=“http://theracingchef.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82:barbeque-cups-mary-lou-hamlin&catid=34:recipes&Itemid=30]Barbeque”>http://theracingchef.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82:barbeque-cups-mary-lou-hamlin&catid=34:recipes&Itemid=30)</p>
<p>The family loves these!! In fact, I modified the recipe and used the leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy to make turkey cups. There are many easy to make recipes on this site.</p>