Maybe you went snorkeling with friends from another boat. Or possibly a hike. Or they just stopped by. Cruising is a very sociable lifestyle, and you want to offer your friends something to eat. But you hadn’t really planned the occasion and now you need something RIGHT NOW!
No need to panic. Aboard Que Tal, I taped a note card inside one of the galley cupboards with a list of “5-Minute Appetizers” that I tried to keep on hand. Then, when the need arose, I just glanced at the list, figured out what would work best, and quickly set it out.
Admittedly, most of these aren’t really recipes but rather things that you might have on hand. And if your tastes are somewhat different, you can create your own list.
Carolyn’s Favorite 5-Minute Appetizers
1. Sliced pieces of fruit (fresh or canned) and a dish of yogurt (slightly sweetened) to dip them in. Cut fruit into bite-sized bits and use toothpicks as skewers.
2. Plate with cheese, crackers, dried apricots and almonds (or whatever you have that’s similar).
3. Olives – get black olives in cans and green olives in the little vacuum seal pouches. Will last almost indefinitely!
4. A block of cream cheese covered in jam (peach, apricot or jalapeno are best). Serve with crackers. NOTE: Cream cheese lasts almost indefinitely if you vacuum seal it before you put it in the refrigerator – leave the foil on and put the plastic over it.
Do you have any go-to “recipes” for times when you need a quick appetizer or snack? Share your ideas with others in the comments!
And, if you like this type of a “Quick Reference List,” there’s going to be an entire chapter of them in our cookbook, to be published in the spring of 2012 by International Marine. These are pretty much “idea lists” for those times when you just need inspiration and cover such topics as lunch ideas, one pot meals, cool food for hot days, warm-up food for cold days, pot luck ideas, meals in a hurry, Mexican, Asian, fresh ideas for using cabbage, recipes that require no fresh foods, great things to take on a hike and more. It even has a longer list of quick appetizer and snack ideas!
by Carolyn Shearlock and Jan Irons
The one comprehensive galley reference needed aboard every boat
Another use for cream cheese. Soften cream cheese, add can of tuna and liquid smoke to taste. Dip for crackers or veggies.
Stir in 1/4 C brown sugar into 1C of Sour Cream (I believe this site has a recipe for making your own Sour Cream). Let it sit for five minutes (longer is better, but five minutes works). Serve it with fruit slices and grapes to dip in it. Very good!
Fair winds,
Carol Ann
Thanks for that one! Sounds good . . . and you’re right — there is a recipe for making your own sour cream.
-Carolyn
Pour some Worcester Sauce over cream cheese and serve with crackers.
Avocado with with garlic salt and mustard with crackers for dipping is great .It also a great replacement for mayo