Best Finger Foods for Your Summer Party

With the season of backyard barbecues and evenings around the fire pit fast approaching, now is the perfect time to try out some new recipes for those upcoming outdoor get togethers. Here are five quick and easy recipes for summertime finger foods that are sure to impress at your next backyard party.

BLT Stuffed Tomatoes

12 round cherry tomatoes

1 lb of bacon

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup finely shredded lettuce

¼ cup finely chopped green onion

Hollow out cherry tomatoes and discard seeds. Set aside to dry. Cook bacon until crispy and crumble. Combine bacon, lettuce, onion and mayonnaise in a small bowl and mix well. Gently scoop filling into each tomato. Chill and serve.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

1 lb jumbo white mushrooms

1 can lump crab meat

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

¼ cup finely chopped green onion

½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Remove stems and clean mushrooms. Set aside to dry. Combine crab meat, bread crumbs, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce and green onion and mix well. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps and place in shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake for 15 minutes at 350°. Serve hot from the oven.

Olive & Feta Bruschetta

1 loaf French bread, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

4 plum tomatoes

Small can sliced black olives

8 oz crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette

Arrange sliced French bread in a single layer on a baking tray. Bake at 500° for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Chop tomatoes and remove seeds. Combine chopped tomatoes with olives, feta cheese, basil, garlic and dressing in a small bowl. Spread atop toasted bread immediate before serving.

Fruit Skewers with Vanilla Yogurt

1 small watermelon

1 cantaloupe

1 lb strawberries

1 lb bananas

1 lb seedless grapes

1 lb package vanilla yogurt

1 package bamboo skewers

Cut melon into bite-size chunks. Remove stems and halve strawberries. Cut bananas into thick slices. Thread onto skewers in a random pattern. Pour yogurt into small cups or bowls for dipping. Serve well chilled.

Cheesecake Bites with Mixed Berry Compote

1 package phyllo cups

8 oz cream cheese, softened

½ cup sugar, divided

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla

¼ cup blueberries

¼ cup raspberries

¼ cup strawberries, quartered

Mix cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Spoon into phyllo cups and bake for 10 minutes at 450°, then set aside to cool. Combine berries in a medium sauce pan over low heat. Add sugar, stirring frequently. Cover and simmer until strawberries break down and sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat and serve warm over chilled cheesecake cups.