Homemade Seafood Appetizer Recipes

I love to parties. Birthday's, anniversaries, graduations, house warmings, baby showers: you name it, I'm there. Especially if there is great food to go along with good company.

So what kind of food makes a great party? It all starts with the appetizers. It sets the mood, and in my opinion, can make or break the entire affair. My daughter's recently attended a spring awards banquet. They've been attending for years and it was always fun, with a 4 course sit-down dinner. But there was just something missing. This year, the caterer brought along a chocolate fountain, complete with fresh fruit, cookies, pretzel sticks, marshmallows and peanut butter crackers. The kids had an absolute ball dipping into the sweet, warm chocolate.

Don't have a chocolate fountain? Don't worry, I have some recipes made with your favorite seafoods that will be as big a hit with your guests as the candy was with the kids.

Chinese food is something almost everyone loves, but something you don't see much of at a party. The biggest reason is that most people can't make it, and have it taste like your favorite all-you-can-eat buffet. It's time to change all that. Your guests won't believe that you didn't go down to Taste of China and purchase these wonderful:

Crab Rangoon's

1 package (50) won ton wrappers
1 bundle sweet green onions, chopped
1 pound crab meat
1 pound imitation crab meat
8 oz package cream cheese

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Place approximately 1 teaspoonful in each won ton wrapper. Pinch and crimp the corners. Deep fry until they pop up.

Bet you didn't know they were that easy did you?

My brother loves smoke oysters, and anything with oysters in it. 20 years ago, when we lived in Florida, we could get oysters, freshly smoked in the market every day. Now that I don't live on the coast, I've had to switch this recipe to canned meat, but it's still good. It will give your party an air of metropolitan sophistication, and you'll be the talk of your social circles.

Smoked Oyster Loaf

1 (4 oz) can smoked oysters, drained and chopped
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. onion soup mix

Mix all ingredients together and shape into a loaf. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying and refrigerate overnight. This is great served with buttery or vegetable flavored crackers.

I tell people all the time that I could live off of shrimp. I love it fried, broiled, and grilled. I like it by itself slathered in butter, cheese and garlic sauce, on a bed of rice, topping a salad or mixed up with a pasta and cream sauce. So when I found this shrimp dip several years ago, I was in seafood heaven.

Shrimp Dip

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 small onion, grated
1 bottle chili sauce
1 pound frozen, cooked baby shrimp
Parsley flakes
paprika

Mix cream cheese, Worcestershire, garlic, lemon and lime juices and onion. Spread on flat tray. Spread chili sauce on top of first layer. Sprinkle shrimp on top of chili sauce and garnish with parsley flakes and paprika.
This dip is great with garlic and cheese bread sticks or wheat crackers.

Your guests will absolutely love these great clam strips and scallop bites and you won't believe how easy they are.

Clam Strips and Scallop Bites

Start with 12 fresh clams and 24 medium sized scallops. Strip them into bite sized pieces. Rinse in fresh water, and drain, but do not dry completely. Roll them in dry pancake batter (I use the complete mix that you only have to add water to)...deep fry and serve them hot with cocktail sauce. The pancake flour gives the batter a sweet taste that compliments the spicy cocktail sauce.

My husband and I were in South Carolina on business last fall. At the hotel each evening, the manager would have happy hour and have all kinds of goodies for the guests to munch on before dinner. I fell in love with these salmon rolls, so much so that I begged, pleaded and offered my first born child to the lady who runs the kitchen. She couldn't give it to me, so I came home and proceeded to try and duplicate it. I think I came pretty close. My results are here for you as my finishing touch on this article. I make these sometimes as the main course because my girls said they could make a meal on them.

Salmon Roll-ups

You need to start with 2 cups of cooked salmon. This part is your discretion. If I can get it reasonably priced, I purchase fresh salmon steaks, and broil them myself with some lemon-pepper and butter. If you can't get them, or the prices are outrageous, there are other alternatives...such as the new flavor sealed pouches, that even come in some great flavors such as lemon and dill or Mediterranean. Or, there is always the standard canned salmon. It isn't nearly as fresh tasting as the other alternatives, but it's an option.

2 cups cooked salmon
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup salsa
2 Tbsp parsley flakes
1 Tbsp. dried mustard
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. lemon pepper (optional)
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas

Mix fish, cream cheese, salsa and seasonings into a bowl. Combine all ingredients thoroughly and spread appx. 2 Tbsp. of the mixture onto the middle of each tortilla. Fold the insides in and then roll up the tortilla like a burrito. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Slice into bite sized pieces. An electric knife works best, as it will not flatten it as readily. You also might try rolling the wrap slightly as you cut to prevent flattening.

Cool off your guests from the hot summer heat with one of these quick and easy appetizers. They'll be glad you did.