Canapés are considered to be appetizers that are based on fried or toasted bread, crisp crackers or pastry and topped with a seasoned spread of fish, meat, cheese or relish.  Probably the easiest hors d'oeuvres to prepare for a cocktail party menu How many canapés per person? Canapé Recipes     Making a Canape Base   Canapés can be created using puff pastry, shortbread, tortillas, flatbread, pita bread, biscuits, toast strips, sautéed polenta rounds and crackers of every variety.  Here are some simple and poplar ways to create a delectable base for homemade or store-bought appetizer toppings.  A handy piece of equipment to use is a 2-inch pastry cutter.  Use to make cut-outs of bread slices or to cut out shapes from food items ham slices, steak, fish or chicken fillets or cucumber or apple slices Crostini 1 day old baguette, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices.  Olive oil Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Place baguette slices on a baking sheet .  Brush with olive oil.  Bake until crisp and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.  Bruschetta are also made in this fashion Croutes Use slices of white, wheat, rye, pumpernickel or other sliced bread.  Cut out each slice into 3-4  rounds using a 2-inch pastry or cookie cutter of any desired shape.  Use seasonal or holiday shapes where appropriate Preheat oven to 300ºF.  Place cut rounds on a baking sheet .  Bake until crisp, about 15-20 minutes.     Canapés can also be made using the croutes recipe, but do not bake.  Use fresh, fine-textured breads to form a stable base for cheeses, meats and firm-textured spreads.     toasted tortilla chips Makes about 24 chips 3 6-inch flour tortillas  vegetable oil and salt Preheat oven to 400F.  Brush tortillas on one side with the oil.  Cut each tortilla into 8 even-sized wedges with kitchen scissors or a serrated knife.  Arrange oiled side up in a single layer on a greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt.  Bake until crisp, 5-7 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack to retain crispness.  Tortilla chips can be made up 3 days in advance.  Store in airtight container at room temperature. CANAPÉ RECIPES Ginger Orange Chicken on Curried Crostini Broiled Beef Fillet Croutes with Salsa Verde Scallops with Sweet Chili Sauce and Crème Fraiche Spicy Shrimp Crostini White Bean and Sage Crostini Cucumber Cream Canapés Ham with Dijon Butter Canapés Tortillas with Roasted Corn Salsa Easy Pissaladière (Onion Pizza) Caramelized Onion Pizza More Appetizer Recipes Appetizers on Sticks and Skewers Appetizer Recipe Index Ginger Orange Chicken on Curried Crostini  Makes about 20 canapes.  Recipe easily doubles 3/4 to 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast  marinade 2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated Grated peel of 1 orange juice of 1/2 orange 2 teaspoons creamy dijon mustard 2 teaspoons honey 2 tablespoon soy sauce 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Cut chicken into 20 or more 1-inch cubes.  Combine the marinade ingredients in a non-metallic bowl.  Add chicken and toss to coat well.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.   Preheat broiler.  Cook chicken until no longer pink and slightly charred.   Serve hot or at room temperature Serve with apple or mango chutney on Curried Crostini (recipe follows) Curried Crostini 1 French bread baguette, large enough to yield 20-25 slices, sliced thinly Butter, softened Curry powder Preheat broiler.  Brush the bread slices generously with the soft butter.  Sprinkle with the curry powder.  Place bread on a broiler pan and broil briefly until lightly browned.  Be careful not to burn make ahead:  Cut chicken up to 1 day in advance.  Cover well and refrigerate.  Cook chicken up to 6 hours ahead.  Cover well and refrigerate.  Bring to room temperature or ligthly warm in very low oven.  Top crostini up to 1 hour in advance   Broiled Beef Fillet Croutes with Salsa Verde Makes 20 canapés 3/4 cup parsley 10 basil leaves 5 mint leaves 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tablespoon dijon musteard 1/2 tablespoon drained capers 2 drained anchovy fillets 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt and black pepper 3/4 pound beef fillet steak, about 3/4 inch thick About 20 croutes For Salsa Verde Place herbs, garlic, mustard, capers, anchovies, and oil in a food processor or blender.  Pulse to a thick paste.  Add salt and pepper to taste.   Cut steak fillet into about 20 rounds, using a sharp pastry cutter.  Preheat grill pan or other pan to high heat.  Sear steak round, about 3 minutes per side.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.   Place one round on each Croutes and top with salsa.  Serve warm or at room temperature make ahead:  Prepare Salsa Verde 1 day in advance.  Cover and refrigerate.   Cut beef rounds up to 1 day in advance.  Cover and refrigerate. Top croutes up to 1 hour in advance   Scallop Canapés with Sweet Chili Sauce and Crème Fraiche Makes 20 canapés 10 sea scallops Olive oil, if needed Salt and black pepper to taste 4 tablespoons of your favorite chili sauce 6 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream Cilantro leaves for garnishing About 20 Croutes Cut each scallop in half.  Preheat grill pan or skillet over high heat.  Use oil if needed.  Sear scallops, until slightly charred.   Remove from pan.  Toss with chili sauce and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place 1 scallop half on each croute   Top with creme fraiche or sour cream.  Serve at room temperature.     Spicy Shrimp Crostini Makes about 20 canapés 1/2 pound medium cooked shrimp, chopped into 3 pieces 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice Salt and black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon chopped parsley About 20 Croutes Combine shrimp, onion, garlic, red pepper, oil and lemon juice.  Add salt and pepper to taste and stir in parsley.  Spoon on crostini.  Serve at room temperature make ahead:  Prepare shrimp topping 1 day in advance, but add salt, pepper and parsley just before serving.  Cover and refrigerate.  Top crostini up to 1 hour in advance   White Bean and Sage Crostini Makes about 20 canapés 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 4 sage leaves, finely chopped 1 15½ ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and well drained 2 tablespoons water Salt and black pepper to taste About 20 Crostini 1-2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely diced Olive oil for drizzling Finely chopped chives or parsley, for garnish (optional) Heat oil in a saucepan.  Add onion, garlic and sage and cook over low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add beans, water and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for about 10 minutes.  Mash the beans with a spoon to make a rough puree.   Spread bean puree on crostini.  Top each with a little of the diced tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil.  Serve warm or at room temperature make ahead:  Prepare the beans up to 3 days in advance.  Cover and refrigerate.  Warm before serving.  Top crostini up to 1 hour in advance   Cucumber Cream Canapés Makes about 20 1/2 cucumber, peeled 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened to spread 10 fresh, fine-textured white bread slices 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste Pastry cutters, if possible use one small one to shape cucumber slices and one larger one to cut bread slices Cut cucumber into 1/4 inch rounds.  Cut out a shape with a pastry cutter if using or leave round.  Spread cream cheese on bread slices.  Cut out 20 shapes with a pastry cutter(s).  Put chopped parsley in a small dish.  Press the edges of the bread canapés into the parsley to form a decorative border.  Top with the cucumber shapes or rounds and sprinkle with salt and pepper.   Serve chilled or at room temperature make ahead:  Assemble up to 3 hours ahead.  Cover well and refrigerate.     Ham with Dijon Butter Canapés Makes about 20. Recipe easily doubles or triples 6 tablespoons butter, softened 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 10 fresh, fine-textured white or rye bread slices 1/2 pound ham, thickly sliced 20 small gherkin fans, for garnish**  Mix butter and mustard.  Spread mustard butter on one side of bread slices.  Cut about 20 rounds from the bread slices using a 2-inch pastry cutter.  Cut out about 20 rounds of ham with the pastry cutter.   Top each canapé with a ham slice and garnish with a gherkin fan **To make the fans, cut gherkins in half lengthwise.  Cut fine slices through each half, leaving slices attached at one end make ahead:  Prepare canapés up to 3 hours ahead.  Cover well and refrigerate.     Tortillas with Toasted Corn Salsa Makes about 24 Scant 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, partially thawed 1/2 red pepper, seeded and finely diced 1/2 green chili, seeded and finely diced 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and black pepper to taste 1 recipe tortilla chips Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Add corn, red and chili peppers and onion.  Cook, stirring frequently until vegetables are slightly softened and charred in spots.  Remove to a small bowl and combine with the cilantro, juice, oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well.  Cover and chill for 1 hour to blend flavors.  Top toasted tortilla chips with salsa.  Serve at room temperature. make ahead Prepare salsa, without cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper, 1 day in advance.  Cover well and refrigerate.  Add these ingredients up to 1 hour before serving.   The traditional pissaladière calls for a fresh pastry crust.  Make it easy on yourself with these options Easy Pissaladière Serves 10-12 as an appetizer For Filling 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 1/2 pounds onions, thinly sliced (about 8 cups) 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 small bay leaf 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon drained capers 20 Niçois olives 16 anchovy fillets Make the Filling: Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic, bay leaf and thyme; stir to blend. Cover and cook until onions are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Uncover and sauté until most liquid evaporates and onions are golden, about 10 minutes longer. Stir in capers. Season mixture with salt and pepper.  Discard bay leaf and cool completely.   Arrange onion mixture on bread/crust of choice.  Decoratively arrange olives and anchovies atop filling.  Bake as directed below.  Transfer to platter and serve. Filling can be prepared 1 day ahead; cover and chill.   To make it easy, instead of making and rolling out a from scratch crust, use one of the following.  For each, preheat oven and lightly oil a large baking sheet. One can of refrigerator pizza dough - Follow package instructions for baking One large or two small French or Italian baguettes - Fresh or frozen, plain or seasoned . 350º oven, 12-15 minutes or until topping is heated and bread is slightly crisped.  Slice into fingers to serve One large fresh or frozen pre-cooked pizza rounds - Follow package instructions for baking  4-5 large-size pita breads, split in two.  325º oven, 10-12 minutes or until topping is heated and pita bread is slightly crisped.  Slice into wedges to serve TIP: To assure the bread does not get overly crisp, briefly microwave the filling before placing on the bread   Caramelized Onion Pizza Servings: 16 2 Medium Onions thinly sliced 2 Tablespoon Butter 1 Package (10 oz) refrigerated pizza crust dough 1 Cup (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS  Shredded fresh basil Crushed dried basil Chopped sun-dried tomato Minced red bell pepper . In large skillet over medium to medium-low heat, cook onions in butter about  20 minutes until soft and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Cool.  If desired, onion can be prepared to this point and refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days.  Let onion come to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Unroll pizza dough. Cut in half. Shape each  half in 8-inch circle on ungreased cookie sheet. Top each with half the onions, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with toppings if using.  Bake in  preheated oven about 15 minutes or until crust begins to brown lightly and  cheese is melted. Cut each pizza in 8 wedges. Serve warm.