I want to make this recipe, but only for a small dinner party. Is it possible to 1/2 this recipe and still have it come out well??

Of course! I have made this many times in varying amounts; they are delicious and have become an easy, go-to appetizer. The measurements are not critical and are scalable up or down, and the timing is unaffected by the number made. (Though I do agree with previous posters that the final 45 minutes cooking time may be excessive and 15-20 minutes works just fine.)