Create A Perfect Hostess Snack In No Time Flat

When hosting a party, what to serve is often the biggest dilemma. Whether you’re having a sit-down dinner or not, snack foods are usually a necessity.

It’s essential to plan out a range of hostess snack foods to serve in advance, so you’ll have an organized list to choose from every time you host a get together. Go ahead, try out some of these and make note of your favorites.

Keep this master list with your other recipes and you’ll always know where to find it when you’re at a loss for what to serve.

Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip - This is always a hit at parties! It’s great served with French bread pieces, crackers, tortilla chips, or even veggies like carrot sticks. (Note, some versions include nuts, but I recommend never serving nuts at a gathering, as you never know whose allergies might be an issue.)

- 2 jars marinated artichoke hearts, chopped and well-drained - 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded. (Low-fat is OK, avoid nonfat because it won’t melt well) - 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated - 1 garlic clove, minced - 1 cup mayonnaise

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Mix up all the listed ingredients in an oven-safe dish (decorative baking dish will do fine). Bake for 45 minutes or until the dip is hot and bubbling. Warn your guests, it’s hot!

Sandwich Loaf: A hostess snack standard from the seventies, this main dish always impresses people at a luncheon!

-1 large loaf of good white bread -3 sandwich fillings of your choice - popular choices include ham salad, egg salad, etc., but you can also used thinly sliced deli meats and other items like this. -1/4 cup margarine, softened -2 packages cream cheese, softened -1/2 cup half and half

Trim the crusts from the loaf of bread, so they’re rectangular in shape. Cut it horizontally into four large slices.

Butter one slice of bread and lay face-up on the serving platter. Spread evenly with one sandwich filling.

Continue layering buttered bread and sandwich fillings. Combine the cream cheese and half and half to create a frosting, and frost the loaf thickly.

Add garnishes of parsley, then slice vertically to create individual servings.

Have fun at your party, and good luck creating the best hostess snack!