Reccomend some housewarming party snacks

[otc]

I'm having a housewarming party this weekend (and it is my first real post-college apartment)

What are some good prepare-ahead food options? I don't mind sticking a sheet of something in the oven to have some hot options but all prep would need to be doable in advance. I've got some ideas already (the only thing that is a for sure is my deviled eggs recipe...I have a lot of eggs to use up) but you guys tend to come up great morsels that I would never have thought of.

EDIT:
Some ideas/items that will probably be included in some form (just haven't decided the actual ingredients)
the deviled eggs
cookies/bars of some sort (toffee blondies maybe?)
mini stromboli-like rolls
carb and dip of some sort (chips/salsa...toasted baguette slices/creme fraiche dip ...something)

 

[indesertum]

tapenade and toasted pita bread?

 

[Monaco]

mimi pizza bagels!

 

[otc]

I am tempted by manton's shrimp fritters...

How do you suppose they would hold up to being deep fried a day in advance and reheated on a baking sheet in the oven? Steaming/pan frying sound like good options too (and I have had enough chinese roommates that I can manage wanton wrappers in all of the above types) but deep fried would probably be the best advance option...

 

[gdl203]

Take a date, take the pit out, stuff it w roquefort or other blue cheese, wrap it with bacon, stick a toothpick through it, stick all these dates on a sheet in the oven. You can alternate blue cheese and almonds for other flavors and textures.

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by Monaco

mimi pizza bagels!

When pizza's on a bagel, you can eat piza anytime!

 

[sportin_life]

Not sure where you live, but Trader Joes has all sorts of neat random morsels!

 

[TexasLidig8r]

Depending on the number of guests you are expecting, buy about a 4 pound beef tenderloin... marinade overnight in a mixture of salt, triple peppercorn (grinded finely), garlic, cardemon and ponzu... grill to medium rare... slice thinly... buy fresh rolls from a bakery...

Food of the gods.

 

[VKK3450]

Depending on drunken idiocy of friends and expensiveness of furniture, steer clear of things that stain...

I've made the mistake...

K

 

[otc]

Originally Posted by TexasLidig8r

Depending on the number of guests you are expecting, buy about a 4 pound beef tenderloin... marinade overnight in a mixture of salt, triple peppercorn (grinded finely), garlic, cardemon and ponzu... grill to medium rare... slice thinly... buy fresh rolls from a bakery...

Food of the gods.

Oooh I like that idea although I lack a grill and I probably don't want to shell out for a bunch of beef tenderloin.

Originally Posted by VKK3450

Depending on drunken idiocy of friends and expensiveness of furniture, steer clear of things that stain...

I've made the mistake...

K

Yeah, I'm already planning to roll up the wool rug in the living room and rock the full hardwood floors look (I suppose I could toss out a few throw rugs). The combination of spillage and the expected spillage that makes people not want to take shoes off at parties is not pleasant...

 

[chronoaug]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Take a date, take the pit out, stuff it w roquefort or other blue cheese, wrap it with bacon, stick a toothpick through it, stick all these dates on a sheet in the oven. You can alternate blue cheese and almonds for other flavors and textures.
Yea, this is really easy and tasty. Plus most guests will think it's fancy. I've been doing this little gettogether item for awhile or when i need something small to bring to a potluck. Can mix up the type of cheese used in the middle (fresh parm reggiano works too or fresh mozz) and you can use prosciutto instead of bacon if you'd like. Other options people mentioned are nice too. A good tapenade and toasted pita is not super exciting but always eaten and enjoyed. You could make some little toast points. Baguette sliced, bit of nice blue or gruyere on the baguette, with a nice piece of steak and add something else to it (or not) like carmelized onion or something. Can mix it up on there but toast points like that are always a hit. Easy to set up a lot at once and then just quickly assemble. A nice homemade bruschetta is easy, looks nice and is tasty. Plus easy to make mass quanitities. A little bit more effort but sliders are nice. Can class it up a bit by premaking a nice sauce for it (some kind of chipotle mayo, blue cheese type thing, or bust out a little truffle oil overtop of the finished product for easy wow factor). Always a ton of semi-cool burger recipes out there. Can just cook them in the oven if you want since they're small

 

[romafan]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Take a date, take the pit out, stuff it w roquefort or other blue cheese, wrap it with bacon, stick a toothpick through it, stick all these dates on a sheet in the oven. You can alternate blue cheese and almonds for other flavors and textures.

MMMMMmmmmm

Not as practical, but when figs come in I like halve/split them, stuff w/ a little gorgonzola, top w/ a toasted pistacchio and the tiniest bit of mint. also good wrapped in prosciutto, but then i forget the cheese/nut stuff....

 

[Cary Grant]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Take a date, take the pit out, stuff it w roquefort or other blue cheese, wrap it with bacon, stick a toothpick through it, stick all these dates on a sheet in the oven. You can alternate blue cheese and almonds for other flavors and textures.

+1 on these.

Additionally, a small cracker with a small amount of a good blue cheese, even a smoked blue, drizzled with a light, floral honey like basswood

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by romafan

MMMMMmmmmm

Not as practical, but when figs come in I like halve/split them, stuff w/ a little gorgonzola, top w/ a toasted pistacchio and the tiniest bit of mint. also good wrapped in prosciutto, but then i forget the cheese/nut stuff....

That sounds pretty good too. Yea there's countless versions of devils on horseback that one can do - change the cheese, the fruit, the bacon/prosciutto. Really good with parmesan or asiago cheese too. Best part is that it's so freaking easy to make (it's pretty much impossible to screw that up), one can put a lot of them on one baking sheet and it's delicious. It's also not messy at all - no dripping or anything like that.

 

[gamelan]

shrimp cocktail with Sriracha as the cocktail sauce. but don't tell your guests how spicy the sauce will be.

-Jeff