I don’t know about you, but this happens to be one of my favorite times of the year. Fall is a great representation that change is beautiful and, of course, let’s not forget the meals that are just a few days away! Thanksgiving is a day that we all can reflect on the past year and give thanks for something even if it’s the smallest of things. It’s nice to be able to slowly get back to normal.
With this time of year, there is one thing that may sneak up on us. It’s the planning and execution of these gatherings. This year, let Foremost Seafood help take some of the stress off by helping with some appetizer ideas that will make your guest think you hired a private chef!
For November, we tried out some appetizers that were not only easy to make, but everyone loved. Whether you are feeding a crowd that loves crab, or you have shrimp lovers, there’s a little bit of everything here. Check out our three appetizer recipes below.
Crab & Artichoke Dip
Here is a classic dish that not only is super easy to make, but will make all your guests dive in for more. This one is one of my favorites because of how easy it is. You just stick all the ingredients into a slow cooker (crock pot) and let it cook. You can use crackers or your favorite kind of chips
Ingredients
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts; rinsed and drained
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded Havarti cheese
1 pound lump crab meat
½ cup sour cream
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
3 chopped Garlic cloves
Assorted crackers or chips
Directions
In a large saucepan, add in spinach, saute for 3-5 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Once spinach is wilted, add in your garlic and saute for another minute or two. Drain.
In a 1-½ qt. Slow cooker (crockpot), combine the artichokes, cheese, crabmeat, sour cream, salt, pepper, and spinach. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours or until the cheese is melted. Serve with crackers or chips.
Shrimp and Goat cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
If you want to get a little more fancy than just using a crock pot, then maybe the shrimp and goat cheese stuffed mushrooms is your go to. These little hand held bites are a different spin than your typical stuffed mushrooms and we loved them!
Ingredients
Heavy ½ pound uncooked shrimp, peeled deveined and finely chopped (we used our frozen 41-50, peeled, deveined, no head and no tail shrimp and these worked out very well)
1 log (4 ounces) herbed fresh goat cheese, crumbled (we used garlic and herbed goat cheese)
⅓ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, if you are adding this, it does add a little bit of a spicy bite to it)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ pound whole baby portobello mushrooms, stems removed
Thinly sliced green onions (optional)
Sesame oil for drizzling
Directions
Combine the shrimp, goat cheese, onions, breadcrumbs, ginger, pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a small bowl. We noticed that the goat cheese may be a little hard to work
with so make sure that it is softened and if all else fails, use your hands to mold the mixture.
Place shrimp mixture into mushroom caps and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Drizzle with sesame oil.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Garnish with green onions if desired. Serve warm.
Asian Tuna Bites with Dijon Dipping Sauce
Last but not least, the Asian Tuna Bites. This one is for the fish lovers and is my favorite! What I really enjoy about this appetizer is that you can also use it for a meal once all the hustle and bustle dies down. It’s super easy and takes little to no time to make.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced -sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 pound tuna steaks (cut into thirty 1 -inch cubes after cooking is completed)
Cooking spray
¼ cup sesame seeds
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 green onions, finely chopped
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk the five ingredients together and set aside. Spritz tuna with cooking spray. Sprinkle it with sesame seeds, salt and pepper.
In a large nonstick skillet brown tuna on both sides, cooked to your taste from rare to slightly pink in the center; remove from the skillet.
Cut tuna into 1-inch cubes and place on skewers (toothpicks) one by one. Arrange on a serving platter. Garnish with onions. Serve with sauce.
At Foremost Seafood
The options for seafood appetizers are endless and at Foremost Seafood, we have your ingredients ready. Not only were each of the recipes super easy, but everyone really enjoyed them. With so much going on and all the cooking you may need to do, these appetizers will not only wow your guests, but it will save you some time as well.
Make this holiday a special one by giving us a call at (937) 298-1986 to place your pre-order or feel free to stop by. During this time, we highly recommend placing pre-orders as products come and go daily. Also, make sure you check out our holiday hours that we will be posting soon.