Here are directions on how to prepare several easy quantity appetizer recipes

Prepare a meat and cheese tray or a vegetable tray for a crowd: Use larger amounts of more popular items, such as turkey, ham, cheddar cheese and celery and carrot sticks.  Always consider color and flavor combinations when determining placement.  Meat and cheese may be rolled, folded or stacked and garnished with leaf lettuce and parsley and colorful vegetables.  Blanch vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, green beans to enhance texture and improve flavor.  Dips can be store-bought or homemade.  

Meat and Cheese Trays (approximate amount to serve 50) 

Vegetable Trays (approximate amount to serve 50) 

Quantity Appetizer Recipes_________

Basic Dip for Fifty 

8 ounces creamed cheese
24 ounces sour cream

In a mixer, mix cream cheese until softened.  Add sour cream and mix until smooth.  Chill.  Dip can be thinned with milk or buttermilk

Variations: 
Add ingredients to basic dip recipe

Creamy Onion
2 ounces dry onion soup mix
1/4 cup chopped parsley or chives

Blue Cheese
8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1½ teaspoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Salsa Dip
Omit sour cream and increase cream cheese to 32 ounces
8 ounces salsa
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
10 stuffed olives, chopped

Seafood
1 cup cooked shrimp, clams or crab, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup chili sauce
1½  tablespoons horseradish sauce

Fruit Dip
Omit cream cheese
1 cup brown sugar or honey
1½ teaspoons vanilla

Hot Artichoke Dip
Serves 50    1-2 tablespoon servings

2 pounds 10 ounces canned artichoke hearts
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Drain artichoke hearts well.  Chop and place in large mixing bowl.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Pour into 2 one-quart ovenproof pans or bowls.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until heated through.   Serve warm with chips or crackers

Hot Bacon and Horseradish Dip
Serves 50

2 1/4 pounds cream cheese
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup chopped onion. Optional: sauté until soft in olive oil or butter
3 pounds bacon slices, cooked, cooled and crumbled; reserve about 1/2 cup for garnish
1 tablespoon horseradish, or to taste

Blend cream cheese and milk well, Add onion, bacon, horseradish. Stir well. Place in small, shallow ovenproof containers. Bake at 375 F until hot and bubbly, about 15 mins.  Garnish with reserved bacon.  Serve hot with raw veggies and crackers.  Make up to 2 days ahead, keep covered and chilled.

Italian Meatballs
Makes about 100 2-ounce meatballs.  Enough to serve 50 guests, 2 meatballs each

10 pounds ground beef
2 pounds ground pork
1½ ounces soft bread crumbs
1 quart milk
6 eggs
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
2 cups grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients by hand in a large mixing bowl until just blended.  Do not overmix.  Form meatballs.  Place in a single layer on two 12 x 20 x 2-inch baking pans.  Bake at 325ºF, about 1½ hours.  Drain excess fat 

Sauces
Italian Tomato Sauce: Use 1 gallon of your favorite pasta sauce.  Pour some of the sauce over meatballs in the last 30-45 minutes of cooking.  Serve in additional heated sauce
Barbecue: Use 1 gallon (64-ounces) of your favorite sauce. Pour some of the sauce over meatballs in the last 30 minutes of cooking.  Serve in additional heated sauce
Chili: Mix 3 quarts chili sauce with 1 quart of water.  Pour sauce over meatballs in the last 30 minutes of cooking. 

More Large Quantity Appetizer Recipes

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Recipes
Vegetable Tray

Basic Dip for Fifty

Hot Artichoke Dip

Hot Bacon and Horseradish Dip

Italian Meatballs with Sauce

More
Large Quantity Appetizer Recipes

Serving a smaller crowd?
Try
easy appetizer recipes.  

Cooking Holiday Dinner for a Crowd?