Hey there, friends! Hope you had a fantastic 4th. Aren’t these long weekends in the summertime great?!?
Warm weather get-togethers have such an easy and casual vibe! But if you’re having people over, you still want things to look amazing….even if you didn’t spend all day in the kitchen. Enter one of my favorite quick and easy appetizers – party skewers!
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What I love most about skewer appetizers is that they present so beautifully, take very little time to assemble and can be made in countless variations to accommodate many food preferences and seasons of the year.
Fifteen Fantastic Skewer Combinations
- Watermelon, feta cube, cucumber & mint – drizzle with honey
- Cucumber, mozzarella or Parmesan, cherry tomato, Kalamata olive
- Cucumber, smoked salmon, avocado – serve with a creamy dill sauce
- Melon, mozzarella, prosciutto & basil – drizzle with balsamic vinegar
- Strawberry, pineapple, kiwi, Mandarin orange slice
- Strawberry, half of a marshmallow, grape
- Salami, Parmesan cube, cherry tomato
- Artichoke heart, mozzarella, sun-dried tomato & basil
- Red pepper, Teriyaki marinated shrimp, pineapple
- Kielbasa, round of cooked new potato, lightly grilled apple wedge
- Small meatball, cube of cheddar, lettuce slice, cherry tomato
- Cured Chorizo, Manchego cheese cube, quarter or half of a fresh fig
- Prepared cheese tortellini coated in pesto, sun-dried tomato and olive
- Peach slice, goat cheese round, prosciutto – drizzle with honey
- Cube of pound cake or brownie, half of a marshmallow dipped in chocolate, and a blackberry or raspberry
Tips for Making Skewer Appetizers
- 5″ – 6″ inch skewers like these work best for appetizers.
- Limit each skewer to 3-4 pieces each so they’ll be easier for people to eat.
- Put your smallest item on first (so that it will be at the top) and the largest or flat-est item on the last (so it will be on the bottom). Especially important if planning to display the skewers upright.
- Try to steer away from ingredients that oxidize (bananas, apples). If you do use these ingredients, either soak in lemon water before skewering or cook lightly to prevent browning.
- For mozzarella, I find Perlini size (in the refrigerator section) works best. If those can’t be found, I use Bocconcini cut in half or even thirds.
- Get even more creative by adding a drizzle on top or a dipping sauce on the side. Honey works well with both sweet and savory skewers. A chocolate or marshmallow dip would pair well with the fruits.
To Serve:
- Lay them flat on a plate.
- Stand them upright.
- Insert skewers into a watermelon half, whole uncut pineapple a bread round or some other “natural” display base.
- Display in a fancy-schmancy holder like this, this or this!
I’d love to hear your ideas on favorite combinations in the comments below! Until next time, keep cultivating a simple, stylish and satisfying life!
