101 Simple, Worthwhile Appetizers to Make in Under 20 Minutes

created at: 12/15/2010

I mostly hate party food. I mean, I like parties, and I love food, but somehow when I gather with others, all the options are sour cream and canned mushroom soup laden glops on my paper plate. And if I ever hear another person remark, “You put grape jelly in your meatballs!?!?” like it’s some big secret, I may scream.

But not all is lost. Turns out, you can make tons of scrumptious, fresh, and (most importantly) edible finger foods. And by tons, I mean 101. The NYTime’s Mark Bittman has created this master list on which you’ll find stuff that’d be perfect for any upcoming Christmas or New Year’s events, but worth keeping around to reference for a gathering in any season.

YOU want good food at a holiday cocktail party and you want to impress people? You don’t want a caterer, you refuse to heat up frozen food, and you want to show that your expertise extends beyond buying perfectly ripe hunks of cheese and juicy olives? Then think about doing some cooking.

Here is a collection of party foods that are as easy to eat as they are to make. Each can be produced in 20 minutes or less. Many can be served at room temperature. And none require a plate. (Few people can juggle plate, wineglass and fork successfully, let alone gracefully.)

101 Simple Appetizers in 20 Minutes or Less