20+ Easy, cheap Graduation Open House Appetizers and Snacks recipes

Oh, oh! You've been too busy and put off planning that graduation open house until the last minute? Or maybe you've been thinking about it for months and can't decide what to serve? Even if you need some last minute fillers for your graduation open house buffet, it's a good thing you clicked this article. Here are 25+ easy appetizers hors d’oeuvres, foods, snacks and recipes to make a nice graduation open house buffet. These can be used for wedding bridal shower recipes, first Communion receptions and other open house buffets also.  

cheese cubes with pretzels sticks poked in

nut cups--fill mini muffin papers  in school colors, with a nut assortment

trail mix cups--mix colored candies in school colors and serve in paper cups

rollups--spread tortilla with cream cheese, place large romaine leaf, cheese slices and deli meat flat and roll. Slice through roll to make pinwheels. 

PBJ pinwheels. Spread peanut butter and jelly on a pinwheel and voila! 

rainbow cut veggie tray with hummus--arrange baby cucumbers, radishes, broccoli and cauliflower florets, mini peppers and grape tomatoes on tray. super easy. See my recipe for homemade hummus. 

olives and feta cheese cubes (or any cheese cubes). Mix Spanish, Greek and black olives with chunk cheese

Puttin on the Ritz. Back the the 70s Ritz crackers put suggestions for dozens of Hors d’oeuvres made from Ritz crackers. Easy Ritz appetizers (or any cracker appetizers) feature a cheese spread or slice with pepperoni or lunchmeat circle and a veggie slice, or olive. 

Mini tea sandwiches. Make sandwiches with whatever filling or bread you like, and cut diagonally in triangles. You can use little deli rye bread too. 

Relish tray--serve in separated tray, different olives, pickles, cheese triangles and meat slices (Italian dry salami, prosciutto, pepperoni)

cocktail wienies--heat cocktail wieners and or mini smoky links in BBQ sauce (fruit jam, salsa, lime juice, smoked paprika or liquid smoke) 

Fairy cakes--make your favorite cupcake mix in school colors, in little mini muffin tins. Frost with a rosette of colored frosting using a disposable cake decorating tube with rose tip. 

fruit kebabs--using fancy toothpicks, spear watermelon or cantaloupe cubes, berries, grapes, pineapple chunks, canned  mandarin oranges, apple pieces, etc. 

hotdog penny kebabs--super easy dad recipe. Skewer pickle and hotdog slices plus cheese cubes on toothpick. Make hedgehog if desired (see below recipe)

open house hedgehogs: This comes from the UK Christmas traditions. Cover a large potato, or half melon with foil or colored plastic wrap. Poke your kebabs in to make quills. Make eyes and nose with frosting, raisins, whatever. Use matchstick veggies for whiskers. 

egg muffins or muffin cup frittatas. Mix different omelet addins with eggs and bake in muffin cups. My favorite is onions, mushrooms, colored peppers and bacon pieces topped with cheddar cheese. 

walking tacos--serve individual bags of Fritos or Doritos with cooked taco meat and toppings. Or mix into salad so guests can add to chips. 

graduation cap or mortarboard hat cookies (see recipe). 

deviled eggs--Cook hard boil eggs with salt. Shock eggs in ice water to loosen shells. Carefully peel and neatly cut lengthwise. Gently remove yolk. Mash with mayo and dijon mustard. Refill yolk cavity. Season with paprika and black pepper. Garnish with fresh dill and cilantro. 

Polish roses. Super easy: spread round lunchmeat (ham or turkey) with cream cheese and roll around a trimmed scallion. Fringe ends. 

Ants on a log. Fill cut celery with cream cheese or peanut butter and top with raisins or dried cranberries. 

Healthy Catholic Lenten Fish Recipes, Pescatarian Diet Cooking Tips

I was raised on Lake Michigan and we dined regularly on her bounty: salmon, perch, walleye, catfish, trout, whitefish. Fish in nutritious: high in protein and Omega-3 oil and low-fat. Here are fish recipes to turn you on to this super food. Even fish haters ask for these dishes.

Poached Salmon or Trout: Using fresh or fresh frozen salmon fillets (I like fillets better than the steaks), place them in a pan sprayed with non-stick spray (a good way to reduce fat intake). Pour in enough lemon juice to cover the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the fillets with coarse pepper, dill weed, onion powder, minced garlic and salt. Cook them on low until the flesh is light pink instead of bright orange and flakes away from the skin. Serve them with rice and a green vegetable. You can pour a white sauce of mayonnaise and horseradish over them if you wish. I sprinkle mine with toasted almonds or crushed pecans.

Seafood Alfredo: Using frozen cooked shrimp, remove the tails and run under cool water to remove ice. Saute them with a stick of margarine ( I use about 3 tbsp of margarine for every 8 oz of shrimp). Add a pound of rinsed frozen broccoli after about 5 minutes. After another five minutes, add an 8oz pkg. of low fat cream cheese (not fat free), half of an 8oz container of Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, white pepper and a little milk. Stir continually until it becomes creamy. Serve over noodles (linguine, angel hair or seashell pasta). My oldest daughter (the self-proclaimed fish-hater) will do bodily harm to get this dish.

Tuna Salad: The beauty of this dish is its ease and low cost. My daughter craves it. First, set 16 oz of seashell or elbow pasta to boil. Use any variety of tuna, but note: the solid white albacore has the mildest flavor. Finely chop a medium sweet onion (vidala are yummy) and slice four ribs ribs of celery. Drain and rinse the pasta. Combine the tuna, celery, onion and pasta with mayonnaise. Use your preference on the amount of mayo. I go easy on it, about a cup. Season the salad with dill weed, coarse ground pepper and salt to taste. I usually leave the salt for others to add. Refrigerate and serve within two-three days.

Fried Fish in a Flash: Use catfish, whitefish, tilapia, cod or whiting. Frozen is fine. Just thaw and rinse. Don't pat dry. In a bowl, combine (per pound of fish) 1 c. corn meal, 1/2 c. white flour, tsp. baking soda, smoked paprika, dill, lemon juice powder, garlic and onion powder, celery salt, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper and finely crushed bay leaf. Coat fish with corn meal mix. Melt ghee in cast iron pan. Fry fish on med-high till flesh is white and breaks apart with fork. 

Baked marlin or swordfish: These two ocean fish get our butcher's vote for the fish that tastes and looks the least like fish. Buy them as steak.; they are boneless and very solid. The flesh is dark red in color and resembles beef roast when cooked. They can be a little costly ($5-$7 per pound). Place the rinsed pieces in a baking dish sprayed with cooking oil, skin side down. Cover with enough lemon juice to cover the bottom of the pan. Slice a stick of margarine or butter into thin pieces and dot the fish and pan. Season with dill. Dill is a tasty salt substitute and cuts the fishy taste. Add pepper and paprika. Bake until fish is darker in color, firm and pulls away from the skin with a fork.

Pan-fried lake perch fillets: These small pan fish when filleted, are about the shape and size of a sandwich cut into a triangles. They are sweet and buttery and melt in your mouth. To prepare, rinse each fillet and pat dry. Prepare two bowls, one with seasoned bread crumbs or finely crushed Ritz crackers. In another beat several eggs until golden. Heat a pan or griddle and melt a stick of butter. Dip the fish in the egg, the crumbs and the sauté in the butter. The flesh will go from translucent light pink to white and pull away from the skin when done. Drain on paper towel salt and pepper them and serve immediately. You won' t be able to get them out fast enough to satisfy your family; they're delicious!

Shrimp Cocktail I serve this as a fun treat and the kids love it! Rinse 12-16 oz of frozen ready-to-eat shrimp until thawed. Hang them over a large wine glass. Fill the wine glass half full of cocktail sauce which you can purchase or make by blending prepared horseradish and ketchup. Hold the shrimp by the tail and dip in the sauce. This treat makes the kids feel very grown-up. They like to pretend my kitchen is a bistro; they come in and order the shrimp cocktail.

Seafood chowder: Using pretty much any fish you like: tilapia, trout, salmon, sole, pollock, whitefish, catfish, sauté a pound in butter or ghee with a half cup each of chopped celery and onions. Cook until fish breaks into chunks and celery and onions are tender. Meanwhile pare, dice and boil 5-6 medium white round potatoes and 5-6 carrots in 2 quarts of water. Season the water with a little thyme, dill, pepper, garlic and celery seed. When vegetables are tender, add a cup of milk and a tbsp of flour. Blend and simmer until stock is thickened (about 5 minutes). Add contents of fish mixture and blend.

These are our favorite fish recipes. They get asked for frequently. I feel very satisfied to know that my family is getting the benefits of fish and seafood. 

Cheap, Quick, Healthy Cooking Cheats for Crazy-busy Parents

Mealtimes present a dilemma for me: I want the kids to enjoy hot, hearty, healthy meals, but I generally lack adequate time to cook. If you're a crazy-busy parent who values nutritious meals, you need shortcuts to "get-er-done" fast. Here are cooking cheats from a veteran mom of four and Omi to 13! Tailor recipe sizes to family need. These meals are easy on the budget as well. 

* 2-for-1 meals: Cook once, eat twice (or three times!) Make big meals that you can nibble on all week. A popular one is stuffed chicken breasts (or pork loin). 

Multitasking Chicken Casserole. Cover coated baking dish with thin-sliced chicken or pork. Sprinkle with rosemary. Mix bread cubes, chopped onion and celery, melted butter, sage, garlic, marjoram and black pepper. Or cheat and use boxed stuffing mix and add chopped celery and onion. Spread over meat. Layer more cutlets over stuffing. Add a can of green beans and pour a can of cream soup (with rinse water) over all and bake. Reheat and serve as many times as you can! This works great with Thanksgiving leftovers. 

Multi-Purpose Pasta Bake. Make spaghetti and meatballs one night. Then pour sauce, meatballs over pasta, top with shredded cheese and bake, for night two. 

* Soupcon supper: In a saucepan, add one can each tuna, chicken noodle soup, mushroom soup and peas or beans (rinse each can and add water). Press slices of bread in muffin tin slots and toast for 10 minutes to make bread "bowls." Fill with soup. This was my grandmother's washday recipe. Soupcon means "a small amount" in French and can be said "soup can!" My kids absolutely love this cute meal in minutes.

* Precut fruit and vegetables: I used to think it was lazy and wasteful to use pre-cut foods. That was before I had four kids and started homeschooling. Now I welcome time-savers. To cut costs, buy pre-cut produce when they're reduced for clearance. Use in order of expiration date.

* Bagged salad supper. Get one of those salad kits when they are cheap. Add crumbled bacon, or canned chicken cubes and extra cheese. If you have going-bad veggies, quick chop and add in. 

* Salad sandwiches. If there's leftover salad supper, make sandwiches the next night. Fill croissants or bagels. 

* Once-a-week cooking: In individual pans, cook rice, pasta and potatoes. Place in Ziploc bags or use food sealer. Fry hamburger, chicken (or turkey) breast cubes and/or pork cubes in the same pans (saves dishes). Fill Ziploc bags. Refrigerate and mix and match. Buy frozen peas, beans, broccoli and cauliflower. Each night, grab one package starch, one meat and one bag vegetables. Throw in oven stove top, with water, can of cream soup and seasonings, as desired. You'll get two weeks or more worth of meals and an endless variety of entrees. Our meal choice is chicken tetrazzini: pasta, chicken, mushrooms, broccoli, mushroom soup, Parmesan cheese, diced onions and black olives.

* Super speedy stir-fry suppers: Use frozen fish, shrimp and vegetables to save time. For fried rice stir-fry, mix cooked rice, fish, peas and carrots and eggs. Fry. For egg foo yung, mix eggs, pea pods, chopped bell peppers, chopped onions, fresh cut Asian vegetables or coleslaw with cabbage and carrots, canned Asian vegetables (water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and bean sprouts) and fish if desired. Make quick gravy with soy sauce, corn starch and water. Serve over rice or chow mien noodles. Our favorite is stir-fry curry. Cook fresh-cut oriental vegetables and diced chicken breasts with oil and Thai curry spice. Add half plain Greek yogurt and honey for a sweeter curry.

Using these cooking cheats, I can have supper on the table in 15 minutes.

"Jerusalem: A Cookbook" Celebrates Diversity, Shares Passions

Preface: When I wrote this piece, the Palestine-Israel War was but a far-off thunder. Now more than ever, we need collaborative efforts like "Jerusalem: A Cookbook" to lead us to peace. 

I love to cook, and it particular to experiment with different ethnic foods. I like to recreate the dishes we sample from different cuisines. I try to tie in not just the ingredients and cooking styles themselves, but the entire milieu in which they developed. Here's a great cookbook for exploring the varied cultures in Jerusalem, written by men from two sides of the city: Jewish and Muslim. This book would make a great Christmas or Hanukkah gift.   

We've tried New Orleans creole, Louisiana Cajun, Polish, Russian, Indian, African, Jamaican, South American and others across the globe. My own favorite styles are Indian and Mediterranean. I follow the Mediterranean Diet. Knowing that, my youngest son mentioned a cookbook he'd heard about on NPR. The book "Jerusalem: A Cookbook" celebrates religiously and culturally diverse city of Jerusalem through food. I'd forgotten his suggestion until, perusing new books at Barnes & Noble, I happened on it. When I said how intrigued I was, Jake quipped, "That's the one I was telling you about!"

 

The "Jerusalem Cookbook" authors, both natives that city, are agemates. But they came from opposite poles of the religious (and geographic) Jerusalem map. Yotam Ottolenghi (author of "Plenty" and restauranteur of Ottolenghi fame) is from the Jewish west side while Sami Tamimi, is an Arab from eastern Jerusalem. Not only do Ottolenghi and Tamimi share recipes and historical information from their own backgrounds, they include cultural tidbits from the myriad of heritages represented in this most "flavorful" city. Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews, Coptic and Armenian Christians, eastern Orthodox, Muslims and many more call this ancient and pivotal city home. From these many traditions, "Jerusalem: A Cookbook" combines different elements into one wonderful feast.

As a teacher, I always plug for the educational. Beyond a cookbook, "Jerusalem" is a comprehensive, stand-alone social studies unit. The pictures are eloquent and evocative. Along with recipes, "Jerusalem" gives local bioscopes, is jam-packed with historical, anthropological, traditional and cultural detail. And it is relatable and even funny sometimes. I recommend any teacher of world history or world religions invest in a copy.

"Jerusalem: A Cookbook" touches a nerve with me on a deeper level. I have my own faith, but love to explore the faith backgrounds of others. I'm concerned when our differing ideologies interfere with our treatment of each other. I look for initiatives that promote common ground and social justice. I love how "Jerusalem: A Cookbook" focuses on shared passions not divisive differences. The "Jerusalem" cookbook doesn't homogenize because the city doesn't either. It turns diversity into a one big party! It blends similarities into a tasty multicultural salad where each flavor is identifiable and honored. And what better medium to share of ourselves than food?

How to Make Vegan Veggie Burgers for Lent and Weight Loss

Cookouts are great for anyone who isn't on a vegan diet, fasting from meat,  trying to  lose weight or eating gluten-free. Veggie burgers make great alternative protein sources, but they're pricey. $6 for 9 ounces of veggie burger is pretty steep. How about whipping up some delicious veggie burgers from scratch? They're so good that even the omnivores will be demanding seconds. Here are some optional ingredients. 

Beans: The basis of most veggie burgers is beans. Select vegetarian refried beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), kidney beans, turtle beans (aka black beans) or lentils. If you use dry beans, cook until very tender. Mash the beans into a nice soft paste.

Avocado, Egg or tofu: As with meatloaf, a veggie burger may contain egg to hold the burger together. You can substitute tofu to create a solid burger for your vegan or egg allergic diners. 

Grain: Grain also holds the burger together and provides a complex carbohydrates. Couscous is a quick cooking grain that you can add to your veggie burgers. Cooked brown or basmati rice can be blended into your burger. Oat bran, coconut, or almond flour work well also. My favorite is gram or besam (chickpea flour). All of these but couscous are gluten-free. You can add mashed avocado as a binder, too. 

Nuts and seeds. Make veggie burgers from ground walnuts, almonds, peanuts or pecans. I like to use up mixed nuts in my veggie burgers. Favorite seeds are sesame, chia, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. 

Vegetables: What would a veggie burger be without veggies? Choose your favorites. Mine are shredded carrots (vitamin A), green and purple cabbage, Portobello mushrooms, sweet or  Vidalia onions (selenium), broccoli, green (red, yellow, orange) pepper, cilantro, celery, radish (daikon and regular), garlic, watercress, cauliflower, alfalfa and spicy (clover, radish, broccoli) sprouts

 

Salsa. No time to chop or dice? Blend in a good natural salsa like Newman's Own (Artichoke-Lime is my favorite) or Muir Glen.

Spices and seasonings: Bragg's Liquid Amino ( healthy salt substitute), pepper, smoked paprika, ginger, cumin, turmeric, celery salt, sage, rosemary, thyme, dill. 

Sub water for lemon or lime juice and blend all ingredients. Fry in light olive oil or avocado oil. 

 

Here are some regional veggie burger variations:

German: Add a touch of sauerkraut, apple, caraway seed and onion to your veggie burger base.

Mediterranean: add pesto, tomato and mushroom into your burger base.

Southwestern: add salsa, corn, colored peppers, cumin and cilantro to your bean base.

Central African: blend beans with ripe plantain or bananas.

Middle eastern: blend in couscous, chickpeas, tahini, besam, cumin, eggplant and garlic. Serve with homemade hummus. 

Creole: garlic, onion, paprika and Tabasco sauce will make your veggie burger dance.

Polynesian: Add molasses, pineapple, pepper, onion, ginger, lime juice and sugar to your veggie burger.

Thai: Blend in peanut butter, liquid amino or soy sauce, ginger, bok choy, water chestnuts, mandarin oranges and brown sugar.

Shape the mixture into patties. Grill or griddle in a small amount of olive or avocado oil. Think "outside the hamburger" and have some fun with these delicious oh-so-healthy veggie burger options! Eating like this was part of how I lost 100 pounds without weight loss drugs or surgery. 

One-Pot Fish Tacos Casserole Recipe, Quick and Easy

I'm a penny-pincher, DIYer, health conscious, planet preserver. The kitchen is one of my favorite places combine those passions. Because home cooking saves money and reduces food waste by repurposing leftovers in tasty new meals. I call my recipes leftovers use-ups. These recipes also focus on food swaps to eat better and even lose weight. Creating diet food swap recipes is part of how I lost 100 pounds without weight loss surgery or diet drugs. 

I save money by cleaning out the fridge before shopping (funny how those kids can open six packages of shredded cheese and never finish one? Or the hubs starts three onions, leaves half behind and never can find them!) So once a week I go through, purge the refrigerator of flotsam and jetsam and make a meal of the leftovers. Today's leftover use-up recipe is fish tacos. I make them as taco casserole because it saves dishes and messy clean up. You can make regular tacos as casserole too. It's great way to repurpose ground turkey, chicken or beef. 

Leftover Use-up: One-Pot Fish Taco Casserole Recipe

We love fish tacos [;id and are eating more seafood as a way to live healthier. My husband and I are following the Mediterranean Diet, which emphasizes seafood and fresh produce. During Lent, fish and veggies are all we eat. I keep lots of fresh vegetables on hand; to keep them from spoiling, I tweak recipes to add in veggies.

Most of the fish tacos recipes I've found have multiple steps and use lots of dishes: I feed six to nine people at a time, so I need one-pot, step-saver recipes. Since I'm cleaning the refrigerator and using up foods as I go, I write my recipes so that they are adaptable. Don't have something on hand? Don't make a special trip to the store. That wastes time and gas money. Improvise (I'll give you tips and substitutions) or omit it. I've also included tips for dieters on watching sodium and cholesterol.

Fish taco casserole recipe

* Place frozen, fresh or leftover cooked fish in a 9x13 baking dish. Tilapia, pollock, swai, whitefish, cod, catfish or salmon work best; Walmart has been selling large bags of frozen fish fillets reasonably priced. I used the whole 4-pound bag of frozen tilapia fillets, plus any individual pieces "swimming" around in the freezer. You don't have to use this much fish, but know that it does cook down. There is no need to thaw frozen fish ahead of time.

* "Baste" with leftover mayonnaise (any variety). Use a rubber spatula to spread evenly (about two teaspoons per fillet). For diet food swaps, use low-fat varieties or substitute with olive oil.

* Drizzle with fresh squeezed lime or lemon or use lime or lemon juice (lime tastes the best). Use about 1/2 teaspoon per fish fillet. Lime juice makes a great salt substitute and works great for hypertensive diners following the DASH diet or other low-sodium diet.

* Season with ground cumin, thyme, smoked paprika, minced or onion powder, black pepper, minced or garlic powder and celery salt. Add hot pepper if desired.  Add fresh or dried cilantro (a great way to use fresh or bottled herbs).

* Use up leftover shredded or sliced cheese by sprinkling over the top. Got a few hunks of cheese laying around? Slice and layer over fish. The tastiest kind is pepper jack. Omit cheese if you are serving diners on a low-sodium or low- cholesterol diet, though. Use less on one portion for these working on weight loss. 

* Crush leftover fresh or stale tortilla chips. You can also use leftover corn tortilla shells (no need to fry them as they will get nice and tender while baking). You can substitute leftover corn too. 

  

* Pour leftover salsa or pico de gallo over casserole. You can also use up fresh or canned tomatoes chili peppers, green peppers and onions instead of salsa. If you like your tacos with a kick, add fresh or canned jalapenos. Mix and match to use up all leftovers (omit salsa for low-sodium diners).

* Bake for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees until fish is tender and flaky.

* Garnish with loads of fresh cilantro, shredded carrots, chopped onions and tomatoes and bell peppers, leftover shredded cabbage or broccoli slaw mix. 

*Serve alone or with jasmine rice. Or fill taco shells. 

Caution: this dish is so fragrant and delicious that even avowed fish haters will demand seconds. 

Recipes to Celebrate Hindu Diwali

Diwali is the Hindu 'festival of lights'. Diwali (Deepavali) is celebrated for five days and includes much feasting. Sweets are an important part of the Diwali festival. Neighbors exchanges sweets and treats. Here is a compilation of best Diwali recipes. Other religions that observe Diwali, also called Divali and Deepavali are Jainism and Sikhism. All those who celebrate Diwali insist that the festival isn't complete without the feasting, especially with sweets or 'Mithai', so here are sources of Diwali recipes. Reading about these treats makes me wish to visit Bali and maybe get invited to participate in a Diwali festival! 

Diwali begins at Dhanteras. The Hindu "festival of lights" ushers in the Hindu new year. It continues through October 25 with the official Diwali (Deepavali) observed October 23 and 24 this year. It ends in the celebration of Bhai Dooj. Amid puja (worship) of the goddess Lakshmi, retelling the story of Rama and Sita (the central figures of Diwali) and lighting the ceremonial diya (lamps), the festival is about also about food. After all, the term festival comes from feast!

At the heart of Diwali, are sweets called mithai. It's a sign of respect for Hindus to exchange goodies. So be a good neighbor, even if you're not Hindu, Jain or Sikh (other faiths that observe Diwali). Make and share some mithai round. Here are Diwali sweets recipes. Be sure to try the gulab jamun; it's worth breaking any diet for. Michiganders, to find local Diwali festivals and sample these confections, visit MiIndia.

• Diwali Festival has dozens of special Diwali recipes. Common ingredients are ghee (claried butter or butter oil), coconut, almond, raisins, Maida, graham flour and dried or crystallized fruits.

• I Love India has a huge assortment of recipes for Indian foods and Diwali mithai alphabetized to help you find what you are seeking more easily. Check out the paneer. It's mouth-watering.

• Bold Sky has a list of best Diwali recipes (entrees, appetizers and sweets) with images of the different dishes. Tikka masala, butter chicken, curry and paneer call for an Indian seasoning blend called garam masala. You can it get it cheap at Walmart, under $3 a bottle.

• Sulekha has loads of printable Diwali recipes and links to Indian and Hindu blogs that may be useful. The carrot halwa (pudding) is delicious and super-healthy. Or try the kheer (rice pudding). But beware--it's highly addictive.

• KidsGen is a great site for kid-friendly Diwali recipes. Click around for printable Diwali rangoli crafts and greeting cards. Social studies teacher, use this website for a Diwali celebrations.

Shubh Deepavali!