Party hors d’oeuvres are essential for entertaining with style and flair. However many people are unduly worried about the time it takes to make so many appetizers for their guests and worry that they won’t get it right. The good news is: party hors d’ oeuvres can be as complicated or as simple as time (or your budget!) allows.

So no matter what you call them: hors d’ oeuvres, canapés appetizers you can find dishes that suit you, your guests and your pocket.

Party hors d’ oeuvres don’t have to take a lot of time to make and while the job may be a bit finicky it doesn’t necessarily take a lot of skill or expertise to whip up a batch of tasty treats for your guests to enjoy before the main course. It’s quite likely that you’ll want to pay special attention to your main course but don’t forget that the hors d’ oeuvres you serve set the scene for the rest of the meal and can be a real talking point amongst your guests.

There is nothing worse than arriving at a dinner party hungry and realizing that the only thing on offer is drinks which you decide to leave alone because of your empty belly. Serving your guests well prepared and tasty hors d’ oeuvres is one way to keep your guests happy especially if the main meal is delayed for some reason and will allow them to enjoy their cocktails in comfort.

Luckily there are plenty of options available for even the most cash-strapped or hurried hostess. Examples of elegant hors d’ oeuvres you might want to consider include: caviar and Crème Fraiche on toasted bread rounds, cucumber slices with salmon mousse, mini phyllo shells filled with lemon zest chicken salad, mini pizza appetizer, radish canapes with salmon mousse, or shrimp and crab crostini.

These are popular and tasty but can be a bit pricey and may well be out of your budget especially if you are catering for a large number of guests. Fortunately a whole range of more affordable options is available even if your cash is limited. You will also save money if you start your hors d’oeuvres from scratch and don’t rely on store bought pastries and fillings.

For hors d’oeuvres ‘on the cheap’ we suggest starting with the following basic ingredients and then following your gut and allowing your own creativity to run free:

Bases for hors d’ oeuvres:

* Assorted Crackers
* Cream Cheese Pastry
* Party Rye
* Puff Pastry
* Savory Toast
* Pita Wedgies

Spreads for hors d’ oeuvres:

* Cream Cheeses
* Deviled Ham
* Easy Humus
* Egg N Olive
* Flavored Butters
* Seafood Spread
* Bacon Cheese Spread
* Various Dips

Toppings for hors d’ oeuvres:

* Anchovies
* Aspic
* Bacon Bits
* Capers
* Caviar
* Cheese
* Crab Meat
* Egg (Chopped or Sliced)
* Lobster Bits
* Mushrooms
* Nuts (Finely Chopped)
* Olives (Sliced)
* Onions
* Oysters
* Paprika
* Parsley
* Peppers
* Pimientos
* Radishes (Sliced)
* Shrimp
* Tomatoes (Sliced Cherry)

Choose ingredients you can comfortably afford or make smaller platters of hors d’ oeuvres made from expensive ingredients. If you’re pressed for time choose simple snacks with no more than three basic ingredients that cook quickly don’t require much skill to make. Enlist the help of friends and family if you think you are going to run out of time. Even kids can help with preparing crackers or buttering bread rounds.

But how many hors d’ oeuvres should you make? The golden rule is three finger foods per person, per hour. What does this mean in practice? If, for example, you are planning a two hour party for 20 guests you will need to prepare about 120 appetizers. However parties very often run longer than originally planned so you might need to prepare some extra hors d’ oeuvres in case this happens.

Make sure your hors d’ oeuvres are small and easy to handle so that guests are able to comfortably stand or sit while enjoying them. Avoid very messy appetizers that require careful eating. While one of the pleasures of finger foods is to eat them with…fingers…you don’t want your guests to end up with food all over their faces, clothes, or next door neighbors! Try as possible to make foods that are attractive but easy to handle.

plenty of time to pay attention to your other courses. Of course bread, crackers, cream cheeses, seafood and the like need to be prepared on the day. The trick is to prepare as much as possible ahead of time so that you aren’t fussing on the day of the party. This is party time, after all so don’t allow time to become an issue.

A word or two about serving your hors d’ oeuvres. Always make sure your appetizers are served attractively. When it comes to entertaining, presentation is as important as the food itself so do take some time to make sure your hors d’ oeuvres are nice to look at. If you don’t have enough large platters, borrow some from a friend or hire them from a catering company.

Decorate the tables with fresh flowers, fruit (also adds to the available goodies) and any other decorations that suit the theme or purpose of your party. Be careful not to overload the tables with decorative effects as this can detract from your scrumptious snacks. Simple presentations of hors d’oeuvres can be as effective as more elaborate designs and may be more suitable for professional parties with colleagues or clients.

The most important rules to remember when entertaining with hors d’ oeuvres is never to give your guests too little or too much to eat and always provide a variety of foods for your guests to enjoy. It is also important to make sure you know if any guests have allergies to particular foods. But more important that these things is to provide your guests with a fabulous, festive atmosphere that stimulates the senses and makes eating a magical experience. Enjoy!