Small Foods Ideas for Your Party

The idea of using small foods for entertaining brings a smile to most people's faces.

By small foods we don't mean Spanish tapas or Greek meze--these are more correctly called "small plates" foods as the foods themselves are not specifically small.  Instead, it's the plates (and the portions), not the food size, that are small for tapas and meze.

No, small foods are foods made as or cut into small size, and there is something fun and comforting at the same time about them.

Don't believe that small foods can't be used at more formal occasions like weddings and fundraisers--if done right, they add flair and make guests happy.

Here are 14 ideas for small foods that add a wonderful touch to parties:

• Small custard cups of macaroni and cheese
• Beef or crab cake sliders
• Mini quesadillas cut out with a cookie cutter or (easier) cut into triangles
• Mini sweet and savory pies--So easy nowadays with wonderful little pie makers like the one from Sunbeam
• Mini puff pastry empanadas--Also easy to do with a cookie cutter, just cut out circles with a cookie cutter, add filling, fold over, seal edges, and bake (don't forget to baste with butter for the full decadent experience)
• Mini soup cups or shooters (cold soup for any size group and hot soup for a small group)
• Mini desserts--cupcakes are popular but also look into small sizes of any dessert. Some bakers specifically make well-known desserts like cheesecakes or layer cakes in small sizes, perhaps 4" or 5". 
• Shakes or smoothies shots
• Mini dessert shots
• Mini pizzas
• Mini skewers of any kind
• Frittatas and quiches cut out with a cutter into small rounds
• Mini (individual) ramekins of lasagna
• Mini creme brulees or other custard desserts (use the smaller size of custard cups)
• Any type of tartlet

And here's how to make a great easy mini dessert display in 10 minutes:

1. Buy cakey brownies, at least one inch thick, from a reputable baker
2. Cut out small circles from the larger brownie squares with a cookie cutter
3. Dust tops of these rounds with powdered sugar or frost the tops with cream cheese frosting
4. Serve.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com