Easy and Delicious Finger Foods

Cucumber sandwiches are cheap and easy..

If you can heat something, I make simple hot cheese appetizers with English muffins and a mix of any cheese (cheddar, taco-style cheese, 3-cheese Italian, etc.) and mayonnaise, with spices added if the cheese is a very bland one. Split and lightly toast 6 English muffins - this gives you 12 rounds. Don't over-toast because you're going to put them in the oven again - just make them so the top of the bread part isn't soft. Mix up about 1.5 cups of shredded cheese and 3/4 cup good mayo, and stir until it's a paste. The quantities are really flexible so don't sweat it if you are a little short on one! Spread the mix on the muffin halves, then cut them into quarters and place on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate until serving time. When ready to serve, put in a 375 oven for about 10 minutes or under a broiler for even less - watch them carefully so they don't burn. When bubbly and just browning, remove and serve hot.

Fruit kabob porcupine - a little time consuming but festive and unique! You need long toothpicks (I like the plastic ones with little arrowheads on the pointed end because they hold the fruit better than plain ones). You need assorted fruits according to the season (other melons, berries, kiwi, pineapple, seedless grapes, mandarin orange segments - a minimum of 5 types, anything you want in a variety of colors. I don't use apples or bananas because they turn brown over time). Wash the outside rind of a watermelon half (I use seedless) then hollow it out, lay it cut-side down on a rack to drain. Cut the watermelon and other fruit into chunks, halve strawberries, use other berries whole. Make a little assembly line of the various types, organized by color. To save time, buy pre-cut fruit from the supermarket. Meanwhile, take a skewer or sharp knife and poke holes in the green rind of the watermelon, about 1 inch apart, on the top and down the sides. Take the toothpicks and thread 3-4 pieces of fruit (depending on size) in alternating colors, varying what's on each pick, and insert each pick in a pre-poked hole. You'll wind up with individual fruit kabobs sticking out, porcupine style. Place the finished watermelon on a platter with some paper towels hidden inside to collect any residual juice. You can scatter extra picks or pieces of fruit or some lettuce or kale leaves around the perimeter if you want.

I know it's not exactly a finger food in the sense that it's not a one-bite, self-contained thing, but I can guarantee that at every single party or event I've been to in recent years, if there was hot artichoke cheese dip there, pretty much everyone went bonkers over it. (Not mine, I don't make it myself, but have found it tends to be a huge hit wherever it's present.). It's also known as hot artichoke spinach dip, or you can do it just as a spinach dip, or without spinach and just with artichokes!

Take it with maybe a variety of different chips/crackers--I've seen it served with tortilla chips, blue corn tortilla chips, slices of baguette, regular old Triscuits.....Easier to make than a lot of individual tiny "bites" and there are recipes all over the Internet. Also, if you have relatives who will be watching their cholesterol or weight, there are lots of reduced-calorie and reduced-fat versions out there -- the Whole Foods Market web site has one that is good.

My husbands favorite. Ritz crackers, put some cream cheese on each cracker, A little bit of cocktail sauce then one shrimp. I use those already cooked, cold shrimp. Then sprinkle crackers generously with thinly sliced green onions. Very easy and everyone loves them.

Ask the hostess. Can I bring xxx or would u rather yyy?

I'm a big fan of grilled sopresseta pockets filled with ricotta and basil. skewer with a bamboo toothpick and crisp up on the griddle, if you can't grill them.

F. B.

A baby shower that's being hosted by someone else and you want to make it pot luck? A friend plans weeks ahead where every dish will sit and they make special decorations for the food table for a holiday party they have every year. A few times someone has brought food to share. It sits in the kitchen because there is literally no place for it. It makes her angry and she feels hurt. She works her hiney off for the food and decor for this party and someone bringing food to it insults her.

You need to make sure if it's allowed. If they have everything planned please don't insult them by taking something anyway. It's like saying "I don't think you're capable of doing this so I have to try and save the party" or "I don't like what you spent hours working on so I'm bringing something everyone will like".

If they have truly made this shower a pot luck and bring your own snacks to share party then google appetizers and Hors d'oeuvres for many many many ideas.