In 20 minutes, you’ll have a compliment-worthy hors d’oeuvre.
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Holiday hosting, while wonderful in theory, can become a bit of a chore when the chaos of the season begins to set in. When the countdown to Christmas falls into the teens and you’ve hardly made a dent in your shopping, putting together a party may be the last thing on your mind. Last year, I found myself in exactly this position when my husband reminded me that we had agreed to host a Christmas party for all his coworkers (anywhere from 30 to 45 people) and now it was time to start planning.
My Simple Menu Plan
By the time I got around to planning, there were only a couple weeks until the Friday night party. Knowing I’d have minimal time after work to get the house straightened up and prep all the food and drinks, I decided to keep the menu simple. I enlisted the help of a couple of Southern Living’s best party-ready dips, plus a few of easy appetizer ideas (these Spicy Bisquick Sausage Balls are always a favorite), then rounded out my spread with large platters of fruits and veggies and a couple charcuterie boards for good measure. I decided on cranberry mules for a signature cocktail, and stocked the fridge with beer and a few bottles of both white and red wine.
The Last-Minute Appetizer Everyone Loved
I was all ready to go when midweek, doubt started to creep in. The RSVPs were ticking up, and suddenly we were looking at hosting around 40 people—by far the most people we’d ever had inside our home. Would there be enough food for everyone? What about room for everyone to sit down? While I couldn’t control the later, I could make sure there were plenty of snacks to much on. With that in mind, I made a weeknight dash to Sam’s Club to find a few last-minute items. I ended up with a few things from the frozen section and a couple holiday-themed bakery items too. Most were good, but the Member’s Mark Spanakopita was the clear winner judging by the fact they got wiped out completely within the first 30 minutes of the party. (Guess I should have bought two boxes!)
Related: The 12 Best Things To Buy At Sam’s Club, According To Our Editors
Why It’s a Crowdpleaser
Ready in no time: I found the unexpectedly great party appetizer in the frozen food section, next to other party-ready appetizers like franks in a blanket and mini quiches. Seeking something that would be appealing to our many vegetarian guests, I decided to take a chance on the mini spanakopita and boy am I glad I did. I was able to put all 36 pastries onto two cookie sheets and slide them into the oven just before everyone arrived. After 20 minutes, I had a plate of golden-brown pastries ready for my hungry guests. Note: There are also air fryer instructions for heating for those who are partial to the appliance.
Appealed to everyone: Each pastry is made with phyllo dough filled with a blend of spinach, cream cheese, and feta. The result is a shatteringly crunchy exterior that gives way to a creamy, cheesy filling inside. The spinach adds a bit of earthiness to cut the richness and give a festive color. They’re the perfect bite-sized app that goes well with any festive holiday spread.
Budget-friendly: At just $10.98 for 36 pieces, which comes out to around $0.31 per piece, the appetizer pulls double duty of keeping your budget in mind and impressing your guests. I wouldn’t go so far as to say this appetizer made my Christmas party last year, but I did get several compliments from guests about how good they were. And since I’m not a bashful host, I let them in on the secret that they’re hiding in plain sight at your local Sam’s Club. Happy hosting!
Dining and Cooking