An impromptu gathering or traveling with a few friends is sure to mean a pot luck meal while camping. The following are 16 quick and easy-to-make appetizers that are sure to please even the hungriest bunch.
No Cooking Required
- Charcuterie – This doesn’t have to be elaborate. A simple plate of assorted meats and cheeses garnished with a stem of grapes or other fresh fruit. Serve with a side plate of crackers or bread.
- Veggie Platter – An assortment of fresh veggies with a small bowl of ranch dressing, hummus, or other dipping sauce
- Spinach dip – Many grocery stores offer a pre-made version of the spinach or artichoke dip. If you can’t find one, it’s super easy to make. A package of frozen spinach, a cup of mayo, and 16 ozs of sour cream. Add one pack of Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix or your favorite dry soup mix or ranch seasoning. Mix together. Serve in a hollowed-out loaf of french bread and then dice up the extracted break to use with the dip. Dip can also be served in a bowl with crackers, chips, or warm pita slices.
- Salsa – Dice up 4-5 plum tomatoes, ½ an onion, add cilantro, and jalapeño to taste. Don’t forget a bit of lime juice and a pinch of salt. Serve in a bowl with a side of your favorite tortilla chips.
- Caprese Salad Skewers – Using toothpicks or wooden kabob skewers (any length) add a cherry tomato, piece of basil, and a small mozzarella ball. When assembled drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Serve on a platter or for longer kebab skewers put them in a vase as an edible centerpiece.
- Nanny’s Cheese Ball – This is my grandmother’s recipe and a staple at family dinners and gatherings for decades. In a large mixing bowl add 2 bricks of softened cream cheese, 4 jars of Old English Cheddar, 1 small brick of crumbled bleu cheese. Add a dash of worcheshire, garlic powder, and dried onion (can use diced fresh onion). Mix by hand or using a heavy-duty spoon. Once all the lump and bumps are out, transfer to a serving dish or bowl and top with crushed walnuts and serve with your favorite cracker.
- Mexican Layer Dip – On a deep plate layer the following: refried beans, sour cream (mixed with a packet of taco seasoning), shredded cheese, onion, shredded lettuce. Top with jalapeños, cilantro, and taco sauce. Optional: add green chilies and olives if desired. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips
Heat and Serve
- Buffalo Chicken Dip – A can of white chicken meat (drained) mixed with a brick of cream cheese. Add ½ cup of shredded sharp cheese, and buffalo sauce. If you have blue cheese or ranch dressing, feel free to add a little of either. Heat in the microwave or serve cold with your favorite chips.
- Pigs in a blanket – Two tubes of crescent rolls, one package of Hillshire Farms Lil Smokies, and your favorite mustard. Unroll both cans of the dough; separate into 16 triangles. Spread your favorite mustard on each triangle, then cut each triangle into 3 narrow triangles. Place a sausage on the wide side of each triangle. Roll up. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 mins until golden brown. Serve with a side of mustard for dipping.
- Sweet n Sour Meatballs – A bag of frozen Meatballs (or homemade) with 1.5 cups of both Grape Jelly and Ketchup. For a little more heat, add a jar of chili sauce instead of ketchup. Add meatballs to a crockpot or saucepan. Mix the jelly and ketchup and pour over the top and let cook for a couple of hours on a low heat until bubbling. If you need to serve quicker, cook the meatballs first then add the jelly/ketchup mixture until heated thoroughly.
- Warm Brie – Use a wheel or wedge of brie depending on how many people you are expecting. Wrap the piece of brie in phyllo dough. For added pizzazz, add your favorite jam, jelly, or chutney to the top of the phyllo after it’s out of the over (in the center). Alternatively, it can be spread on top of the brie prior to wrapping in the phyllo. Bake as instructed on the phyllo dough. Brie should be warm completely through and melty in the middle.
- Greek Shrimp – Use a bag of frozen shrimp (defrosted) or fresh shrimp, peeled, and deveined. Cook shrimp, let cool. Then put in a bowl, and cover with a bottle of your favorite Greek (or can use Italian) salad dressing. Add sliced up purple onion and a jar of capers (including the juice). Let marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or so and serve cold.
- Bacon-wrapped water chestnuts – Looking for something salty and sweet these little devils fit the bill. Take two 8 oz cans of water chestnuts (drained) and 1 lb of bacon stripes cut in half. You will also need toothpicks and ½ cup ketchup, and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. Wrap a water chestnut in ½ strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Line a baking dish or baking sheet. Cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Flip them over for another 15 minutes. Serve with the dipping sauce (ketchup and brown sugar mixture).
- Warm Onion Dip – Mince 2 white onions, add a cup (or so) of mayo, 2 cups of shredded swiss. You can substitute swiss for mozzarella or any white cheese that will melt easily. Add a handful of diced banana peppers, as much or as little as you prefer. The mixture should be creamy. Put into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Serve with sliced baguette bread, pita chips, or whatever you have on hand.
- Shrimp Cocktail – In a bowl, add cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp served hot or cold. Don’t forget to add a side of cocktail sauce (ketchup and horseradish mixed) or a Thai chili sauce.
- Bacon-wrapped Jalapeño poppers – These can be purchased in most groceries store pre-made from the freezer department. They are also very easy to make from scratch. Cut 4-8 fresh jalapeños in half-length, remove seeds and stem. Fill with cream cheese. To take it up a notch, mix the cream cheese with taco seasoning and some shredded cheddar. Wrap with half a slice of bacon and grill or put in the oven at 350 degrees until bacon is cooked. Secure with a toothpick if needed.
The key to any successful potluck or group gathering is being prepared. When planning before your trip, think about the ingredients you need to buy before your leave. Also, have a list of items to pick up fresh on your way into camp. Finally, be sure to check the location of grocery stores along your route. Some RV parks have a general store with some basics but call ahead to see what they stock. Planning will save you time and money on the road as well as aggravation.
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