The holidays are just around the corner and many of us are frantically searching for new and exciting appetizers for our next soiree. Here are some fun and delicious ideas to help with your holidays.

The following appetizers are easy and delicious and can be prepared in almost no time at all:

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Boneless skinless chicken breasts are cut into bite sized pieces, pan fried with teriyaki sauce and then placed on skewers for a finger food presentation. These skewers are so simple to make and can even be prepared the day before your big event.

Jiaozi (Chinese Dumplings)
These wonderful dumplings can be found pre made in the frozen section of almost any oriental grocery store. They can be either boiled or fried and then served with a toothpick in each as an appetizer.

Shrimp Chips
Shrimp chips are similar to potato chips. Deep fried, they have a light, crisp, airy texture and can be sprinkled with any seasoning of your choice. Old bay seasoning is delicious on these chips.

Drunken Chicken
Drunken chicken is always a hit at parties. Prepared the night before, cooked chicken marinates in a mixture of sherry, sugar and soy sauce, making a wonderfully fun alcoholic appetizer. You want to use a good quality sherry or wine for this dish. The chicken will take on the flavor of the marinade it is soaked in, so be sure to do a taste test before marinating.



The following appetizers take a little more time than those above, but they are well worth making. These fun and different recipes are sure to be a hit at the next holiday bash:

Five Spice Shrimp Spring Rolls
These shrimp spring rolls combine the flavors of five spice, coriander and lime zest to create an amazing appetizer that the whole crowd will love.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Ground beef and pork are mixed to make delicious meatballs that are then tossed in an amazing sweet and sour sauce. These are a popular Chinese favorite. Topped with toothpicks they make the perfect appetizer.

Asian Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers
These wonderful stuffed sweet peppers make a unique and fun appetizer. The colors of the peppers and the asian flavor are sure to please any crowd.

Crab Rangoon
Crab Rangoon is always a favorite at parties. These deep fried crab stuffed wontons are quite simple to make, and can be kept warm in the oven while preparing other dishes.

Shrimp Toast
Deep fried mini toast pieces topped with a delicious shrimp mixture are deep fried to give them a crisp and airy texture. These shrimp toasts are another favorite party appetizer.

Though some of the appetizers listed here take longer to make than others, they all make wonderful snacks for the holidays. Try some of these recipes this year and let me know what you think in the Chinese food forum found here. Enjoy!