These snack boxes are fun to make and always a hit at parties!
We recently hosted a Kid's Appetizer Class and these snack boxes were a hit. The kids really enjoyed making the recipes and filling their boxes with yummy snacks. Here are the recipes that we used.
Cocktail Meatballs
The best part about this recipe is that the cocktail meatballs are baked, not fried, and can be served as an appetizer or for dinner over white rice or mashed potatoes.
Cocktail Meatballs
Ingredients
1 large egg
¼ cup heavy cream or milk
¾ cup cubed white sandwich bread, crusts removed
1 pound ground turkey
1 garlic clove, minced
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon salt
Sauce
½ cup ketchup
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1½ tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon finely grated onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, tear up the bread into pieces and add the milk. Mash the milk and bread together to form a paste.
Add in the salt, pepper, garlic, and egg. Mix to combine. Add in the ground turkey. Use hands or an electric mixer to combine until all the ingredients are completely combined and smooth. Use a scoop or spoon to make 20 1-ounce size balls.
Using moistened hands (it's sticky and wet hands help; keep wetting them as you go), form the meat mixture into tablespoon-size round meatballs and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, until just done. While the meatballs are roasting, prepare the sauce.
Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook gently until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Add the baked meatballs to the sauce and stir to coat evenly. Transfer them to a serving platter, spear with toothpicks, and spoon the sauce over top. Garnish with parsley if desired. Serving Size: about 25 meatballs.
Cheese Skewers
These cheese skewers are easy and fun to make with kids. This fabulous mini appetizer is stacked on wooden skewers and includes cubed Colby jack cheese, juicy cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves.
Cheese Skewers
Ingredients
24 cherry tomatoes about 1 pint
12 Colby jack cubed cheese
24 small basil leaves or 12 large
Directions
Wash tomatoes and wash basil leaves and gently pat dry. If basil leaves are large, rip in half.
Thread a cherry tomato on each skewer followed by a basil leaf, a cube of cheese, another basil leave and finally another tomato.
Fruit Kebabs
These fruit kebabs are easy to make and a great way to get kids to eat fruit. They'll also love helping you make them.
Fruit Kebabs
Ingredients
1 cup grapes
5-7 clementines
2-3 firm ripe bananas cut into ½ inch slices
Directions
Thread fruit onto skewers, alternating fruit. For fresh fruit skewers, line skewers on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Chocolate Croissants
These little croissants go fast and are perfect for any party or coffee break!
Chocolate Croissants
Ingredients
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1/2 of a 17.3 ounce package Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or small chocolate chunks
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk then set aside.
Lightly flour your work surface. Unfold the pastry sheet then lightly dust top with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the sheet into a 16-inch square. Cut pastry square in half then cut each half into four rectangles (making eight, 8-inch by 4-inch rectangles). Now, cut each rectangle diagonally into two triangles (making 16 triangles).
Place about 2 teaspoons of the chocolate chips down the center of each triangle. Then, starting at the wider end, roll each triangle up. Place each croissant seam-side down so that the tip of the triangle is tucked under the rolled croissant. Then, bend in the edges, creating a crescent shape. Lightly brush tops of croissants with egg wash.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serving Size: 16 mini croissants
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
This is one of the easiest bite-sized desserts to make and everyone absolutely loves them.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Ingredients
10 ounce package Ghirardelli Baking Chips Bittersweet, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate
2 pounds fresh strawberries stems attached
Directions
Start by washing the strawberries and then drying them very well. It's so important to dry the strawberries well because, as you may know, chocolate and water do not work well together! If the strawberries are the least bit wet the chocolate will not stick!
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Use a double boiler or microwave the chocolate for 30-second intervals, removing and stirring at each 30-second interval, until the chocolate has melted. Stir often, making sure not to burn the chocolate!
Holding a strawberry by the stem, dip into melted chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting the excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. At this point place the strawberry on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries.
Chill the strawberries until the chocolate sets, about 15 minutes.
How to make your own double boiler:
Fill a saucepan ¼ full with water and bring the water to a low gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and set a large (heat-proof) glass bowl on top, making sure the bowl tightly covers the pot. Make sure there are a few inches of space between the bottom of the bowl and the water.
Add chocolate to the bowl and stir constantly, until melted and smooth.
Remove the bowl from heat and add a handful of reserved chocolate to the bowl to temper the chocolate. Stir until the additional chocolate has melted.