No effort (or "looks like no effort") nibbles - ideas welcome

[lilolilmanchester]

Get together with some girlfriends once every month or two for wine, nibbles &chat. We've been doing this for quite a while, with crisps/nuts/dips/breadsticks/olives/cheese & biscuits getting boring making a regular appearance. The unspoken deal is that we don't make too much effort, don't spend too much money, and definitely don't want to get into "one-up-manship". Any thoughts? I don't mind making stuff but don't want to make others feel they have to do more than pick up a few bits from the supermarket on their way home from work. Any thoughts? (All will have had tea, so nothing too substantial).

Could you do bruschetta? You could buy a couple of those ready-to-cook baguettes, slice them before you bake them, then put some olive oil and chopped artichokes or olives or sundried tomatoes and mozarella on. Lots of recipes for toppings on the internet.

Take a jar of artichokes in oil, drain off a little oil, blitz in magimix with black pepper and a good squeeze of lemon, then serve as a dip. Add some of the oil back in if a bit too thick.

halve pita bread spray with a little oil and sprinkle with parmesan bake until crispy.

scoop out half a watermelon, dice flesh and add other fruit as desired for fruit salad. Take small slice off bottom of watermelon half so it sits nicely and fill with salad

we can get really tiny pita breads here, which I use to make really tiny pizzas

make mini kebabs with fruit and marshmellows

will come back if I think of more, hope these are the sort of thing you are after

Make cheese straws - buy ready made puff pastry, cover with grated Parmesan, chilli flakes and loads of black pepper plus a sprinkle of sea salt. Cut into strips and bake (on tge greaseproof paper from the pastry so you dont have to wash up ) for about ten minutes. Yummo!

You'll need to roll out the pastry if it comes in a block, obv.

googie has just reminded me of puff pastry scrolls, roll out very thin and top with relish/cheese or marmite/cheese or filling of choice, roll and cut into scrolls, bake until puffed and golden

also homemade sushi super easy and yummy

savoury roasted chickpeas also a yummy easy snack

wow, lots of great suggestions - many thanks! Several there I will pick up on but please keep the ideas coming for others who might look at this thread for inspiration!

yawning how do you make those chickpeas? Sounds noice.

Peppadews stuffed with Philadelphia is yum

cooked chickpeas (canned is fine) lay in single layer in roast pan drizzle with oil and dust with preferred topping...we like garlic salt, can use chilli flakes or other flavours you like...roast in 180 degree oven until crispy

Get some pumpkin and sunflower seed. Put them in a non-stick frying pan to toast them.

Once they are toasted, add some soy sauce (whilst they are still on the hob).

Once the soy sauce has been absorbed, put them in a bowl and serve. They are quite moreish.

Similar to what Blue2 above said, but three more ingredients. Have done this so many times, guarantee someone will ask you for the recipe, it's fabulous and ridiculously easy. OK, get a can of artichoke hearts in oil, drain. Tip artichokes into a blender. Scoop in a small jar of hellmans mayo. Chop and peel a couple of cloves garlic, put in food processor. Squeeze of lemon. Couple of handfuls of grated parmesan. Blitz - not too smooth, you want a bit of texture. Pour/scoop into presentable ovenproof serving dish. Bake in oven until pale toasty cheesy brown colour. Serve as a hot dip with slices of french bread, vegetables etc to dip

lots more fab suggestions - I like the sound of all of them - they'll keep me going for a few nibbles nights!! Many thanks all.

mandolin some apples and cook in a single layer at 85 degrees til they dry out.

Thanks yawning

Ohhh Shlumberger! I'm liking your dip!

warm artichoke dip does sound lovely, a bit of a change from hummus/taramasalata etc. I have a recipe for a warm broccoli dip from a Pampered Chef party. Only made it once cos DH didn't like it.... might give that another outing and see what people think, plus maybe a baked Camembert to go with some of the pastry suggestions, and maybe bowls of seeds and chickpeas as suggested..

ALL the suggestions have been noted and will be served up at some point, love them all. Thanks again.

yy peppadews stuffed with philadelphia

also:

• mini poppadoms with a blob of mango chutney in, grated cucumber and carrot, a few nigella seeds and some chopped coriander ( NB this is divine )
• tiny bit of blue cheese and slice of apple or pear wrapped in parma ham piece, skewered w cocktail stick

Get a syringe filled with vodka and worcestershire sauce and inject cherry tomatoes. Yum!

googie - nice one, might just skip the cherry tomatoes!!!

I make my own pancake rolls.

They are a faff but they freeze brilliantly so you can do a big batch.

Stir fry grated carrot, spring onions, bamboo shoots, grated courgette, ginger etc and then use readt made filo pastry to make mini rolls.

You deep fry them for a minute or two, always gone down well here!

Mini toads filled with ready sliced beef and horse radish.

Get a big crusty rustic loaf of bread, scoop out insides, tear and arrange around the loaf on the plate. Fill loaf with spinach dip.

Baked brie

Nachos with salsa + cheese

Ready made blinis, sour cream and smoked salmon trimmings.
Palma ham, salami etc
Ciabatta with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip in.
Baked brie/camembert.
Raw prawns qucikly cooked in butter and garlic and bread for dunking.

Or plate of spring rolls, dim sims, prawn toast etc from the freezer section and cooked, with sweet chilli sauce

Or home made dumplings - not too hard as you can buy the wrappers, just a bit fiddly

Fresh Turkish bread with dips

Mini meatballs and tomato sauce

Devilled eggs

Or to add to your usual plate - dried mango, salted macadamias, fig paste, pate, sundried tomato, chilli salami, marinated capsicum, goats cheese or feta and kalamata olives

I love nibbles and wine :)

ooh, more lovely suggestions - lots of other occasions to use these as well as the girls' night. Thank you all.