What are your favorite finger foods and appetizers?

I posted this moments ago in another Pickle, but it's worth repeating. This makes a huge hit whenever I serve it. Scandalously easy too. Large log (11 oz?) of plain goat cheese in food processor along with 3 heaping tablespoons of good mango chutney. Process until smooth, then taste and add a judicious additional amount of chutney if needed to achieve a balanced flavor, with neither ingredient dominating. Melt a tablespoon of butter and add half a cup of pecans, broken into large pieces with your fingers. Toast the pecans in the butter until golden brown, and towards the end add half a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of sugar or honey. Put frozen packaged phyllo cups on a small baking sheet, and fill each about half way with the goat-mango mixture. Top with pecans. Place in 350 degree oven for about ten minutes, just to warm them up. Serve warm or at room temp. This recipe will make about 32 utterly delicious savory little tarts.

Grape tomatos, chunks of fresh mozzarella, and folded-in-half basil leaves alternated on skewers, then marinated in balsamic viniagrette. Hummus and crudite and pita points. Rolls with thinly sliced pork tenderloin and ginger mustard sauce, and beef tenderloin with horseradish sauce. Potato skins, topped with bacon, chopped red peppers and green onions.

@nutcakes.

The grape rolled reminds me of favorite spring time finger food when the Greek Orthodox Church does their big food festival.

Dolmas, stuffed grape leaves. I try to make those at home and come close..pretty close.
But I can't come close to what secrets the 'grandmothers' use at the Church.
(I think their secret is using the liquids from the grape leaves, which they use in mass quantities, in the water for the rice or steaming liquid....I think).

How about either or both of the Best Recipe with Mushrooms finalists this week?

I like grapes rolled in blue cheese and nuts. Cream together cream cheese and roquefort, thin with a bit of cream. Drop grapes in, fish them out one at a time and roll the spread around the grape, roll in chopped toasted nuts. It'a a PITA, but pretty and delicious. That's in Martha's hors d'ouvres book (a fantastic book.)

For lower cal, but delicious I make this artichoke-olive dip/spread from epicurious.com: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Artichoke-Olive-Dip-with-Fennel-Crudites-11811

Stuffed mushrooms are always good for me. I like a spinach-feta stuffing.

I wow'd the pants off everyone once with coconut shrimp, but you do have to cook it on the spot, or keep warm in a low oven. The high impact raves were worth it. Not that hard if everything is preped and ready.

Hummus Deviled Eggs
12 hardboiled eggs
1 cup homemade hummus
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp ground cumin
fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
paprika (smoked is best!) for garnish

Cut the eggs in half and remove the yolks. In a food processor, combine hummus, coriander, cumin, and about 4-5 whole yolks and blend until smooth. Add more yolks if you like it extra rich. Add salt to taste (if needed). Pipe the mixture into the egg halves and scatter all over with the chopped parsley and dashes of paprika.

The parsley and paprika, combined with the yellowish hummus, make it look really festive. These are my favorite finger food to make anytime, or especially this time of year when everyone expects eggs. Plus, they're actually quite healthy and filling, for being deviled eggs!

Steamy Kitchen's "FireCracker Shrimp" is fantastic.
http://steamykitchen.com/72-crispy-shrimp-springroll-with-sweet-chili-sauce.html

They come together much quick than you think. You can make a few hours ahead and fry right before serving.

Even though it is holiday time, we should still attempt to make the good descisions when we eat. I get to eat more chocolate that way, ha!
I love serving crudités with unusual vegetables and dips. Try using snap peas and Belgian endive for a roasted red pepper dip.
1 c. Almonds, toasted
1 c. Roasted red pepper
1 tbs. Red wine vinegar
1 tbs. Shallot
1 to 2 tbs. Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste.
Puree in the blender until a smooth consistency is formed.

Mixed crostini. Especially when they have chicken livers on top.

But for this Easter weekend I have to prepare a ton of Roman style tramezzini, which would be egg salad on white bread, cut into triangles. Typical bar food.

Nothing as good and easy as warmed, spiced olives! Here's a recipe from the NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/dining/191wrex.html