CLEVELAND, Ohio –The holidays are busy, so I gave myself a break. I hit the Trader Joe’s freezer case for a Christmas Eve party. I bought 10 different, frozen appetizers for a gathering of 15. With 10 to 12 pieces in each box, we’d had enough in quantity and variety. When illness shrunk the crowd by four, I opened only eight boxes.
This was, in part, research to see if I – and you – could count on the alternative grocer to “cater” a low-key party. The experiment was a success. Instead of two days shopping for and prepping nosh, I had time to wrap presents and clean house. The kitchen mess was minimal. And I was (mostly) calm when guests arrived.
Overall, the crowd was happy. And so was I.
That said, I’d recommend lightening your load by mixing some or most of these appetizers into your New Year’s Eve or other party festivities.
Here’s what I learned:
First, keep everything frozen until you’re ready for the oven or air fryer. Everything we tried cooked straight from the freezer. If it thaws and refreezes you risk lesser results.
Next, rank appetizers by cooking temperature. Start with the hottest temperature, probably 425 F. As each app is done, lower the temperature for the next batch. Serve each as they’re ready.
Have serving plates ready for each batch as it comes out of the heat.
If available, use a toaster oven for the hottest items, the oven for the medium temp and an air fryer for those where crispy matters. Avoid the microwave, or risk mushy results.
If I were to curate a TJ appetizer collection again, I might do half hot apps and half cold apps. With eight different hot apps, I spent the first hour in the kitchen. That’s fine if you prefer to hide out in the kitchen or if the crowd gathers there.
Trader Joe’s has a broad array of frozen appetizers. It’s hard to choose which ones to serve. We have recommendations.Paris Wolfe
What we ate and how it rated
Breaded Mozzarella Cheesesticks – Always a winner, if you keep an eye on them and avoid overcooking. I turned away for a moment (or longer) and the cheese leaked out, leaving behind deflated breading. There was no saving this messy blob. I would try these again and pay closer attention. Be sure to buy tomato sauce for dipping.
We tried eight Trader Joe’s appetizers and recommend seven for your New Year’s Eve party. Olive bites didn’t make the cut.Paris Wolfe
Fried Olive Bites – These are Castelvetrano and Kalamata olive pieces shaped and stuffed with cheese, then breaded. I followed the oven instructions on the box. Results met mixed reviews with our crowd. The breading was a bit soft. The composed olives, as the box described, weren’t what we expected. I would choose an appetizer with more universal appeal.
We tried eight Trader Joe’s appetizers and recommend seven for your New Year’s Eve party. Everyone who liked mushrooms was a fan of these.Paris Wolfe
Mini Mushroom Tartelettes – What’s not to love! These two-bite tartelettes are rich in flavor and texture. As long as they’re warm. Once they cool? Meh. But they reheat well. Monitor the platter in case it needs to revisit the oven. Two people in our crowd avoid mushrooms, so we had leftovers.
We tried eight Trader Joe’s appetizers and recommend seven for your New Year’s Eve party. These were not puffy like the photo. Perhaps an air fryer would have helped.Paris Wolfe
Jalapeno and Cream Cheese Crispy Wontons – Two words: Air fryer. I followed oven instructions, and they were OK. Ah, but the air fryer crisps up the wonton shells. The jalapenos added a little heat, so keep away the kids and picky people.
We tried eight Trader Joe’s appetizers and recommend seven for your New Year’s Eve party. These have an Asian-influenced flavor, of course.Paris Wolfe
Crispy Vegetable Pouches – Yes! These little phyllo purses require the air fryer. They crisped up beautifully. The Asian-vegetable filling reminded one guest of her favorite spring rolls. The only thing that would make them better is duck sauce for dipping. Delicious.
We tried eight Trader Joe’s appetizers and recommend seven for your New Year’s Eve party. These appeal to youngsters and the young at heart. Paris Wolfe
Parmesan Pastry Pups – If kids are at the party, buy a couple boxes. These are two-bite hot dogs in a pastry wrap. They’re a bit more sophisticated than a corn dog. And they’re yummy. If the pastry isn’t lightly browned when cook time is up, put them back in the oven for an extra minute or three.
These little bites could almost be mistaken for dessert. They’re a combination of strong sweet with a hint of savory.Paris Wolfe
Pastry Bites with feta cheese and caramelized onion – If you didn’t know the “jelly” on top was caramelized onion, you might think these are dessert. That’s what one guest said. They’re rich and a bit sweet, with the slightest savory finish. This is a keeper.
We tried eight Trader Joe’s appetizers and recommend seven for your New Year’s Eve party.Paris Wolfe
Mini Brioche Bites with apricot and creamy brie cheese filling – Keep an extra box handy. The warm, fuzzy appreciation was unanimous for these little brioche puffs stuffed with apricot and soft cheese.
Send dining, drinking and culture story ideas to Paris Wolfe at pwolfe@cleveland.com. See previous stories. Subscribe here to the “Dine Drink CLE” newsletter. Find the DineDrink C-L-E podcast anywhere you download podcasts or find info at cleveland.com/topic/dinedrinkcle. Follow Paris Wolfe on Instagram @pariswolfe.