Easy Appetizers

I have always loved shrimp. Shrimp can be served both hot and cold and both as an appetizer or as the main course.

Here are several ways to serve shrimp as an appetizer:

Shrimp and Bacon Appetizers

1 pound of shrimp

2-3 tablespoons of hot sauce

1 pound of bacon

Rinse and drain shrimp, pat dry. Marinate shrimp in hot sauce for about 15 minutes. Partially cook bacon, slice in half. Roll one shrimp per half slice of bacon, secure with a toothpick. Bake in oven at 400*F until crisp.

Shrimp Cocktail

We have found cocktail sauce both in mild and in hot. Experiment with cold cooked shrimp. We serve shrimp cocktail in glass ice cream dishes. Place a few tablespoons of cocktail sauce in the dish. Put 4-6 shrimp around the glass. If you want, insert a lemon wedge in the middle of the dish.

Shrimp Spread

1 - 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened

1 - 8 ounce jar of cocktail sauce (try both spicy and mild)

1 - 2.25 ounce can of sliced black olives, drained

1/2 pound cooked bay shrimp

3 green onions, chopped

Crackers for serving

Spread cream cheese on a medium round serving platter. Spread the cocktail sauce on top of the cream cheese. Top with baby shrimp, green onions and olives. Chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers.

Hot Shrimp and Cheese on Bread

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

½ cup butter, softened

1 egg, separated

25-35 bread squares (I use a bread that is not soft, such as multigrain or rye. I also remove the crusts)

25-35 shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined

Cream together the butter and cheese. Blend in egg yolk. In a separate bowl, beat egg white until stiff peaks form. Mix egg white into cheese mixture. Place the bread squares on an ungreased cookie sheet. Top each bread square with one shrimp and cover with rounded teaspoonful of the cheese mixture. Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot.

Each of these recipes is simple to make and can be prepared in a very short amount of time.