This 2-Ingredient Appetizer Was The First To Run Out At My Housewarming Party

Even though I’ve written about food and entertaining for more than 10 years, it can still feel daunting to host anything larger than an intimate dinner party. Since I live alone and dine out a lot—I consider travel and restaurant spending to be among my best “investments,” well, besides my retirement account—I’m not very well-versed at hosting more than six for a meal. 

I sent out invitations to my housewarming party, which occurred on a late summer Saturday night. With everyone's lives picking up as previously pandemic-cancelled events are added back to the calendar, I figured about half of the guests would reply “no.” But in a delightful (albeit daunting) turn of events, nearly everyone RSVP-ed “yes,” meaning I would now be welcoming more than 30 pals onto my patio and into my kitchen.

I immediately realized that there would be no way that I could coordinate food for about three dozen, plus drinks, tableware, music, and beyond. I had outshot my single-person hosting coverage. So I decided to delegate and hired a caterer to create a spread of heavy appetizers that would accommodate the various dietary preferences, including gluten-free and vegan.

After reviewing the thoughtful, crowd-pleasing menu of cheese and charcuterie, queso and pretzel bites, a trio of salsas and chips, plant-based dips and crudites, and lettuce wraps, I was delighted. But I was also a bit worried, due to two realizations:

• There was only one hot appetizer
• There was very little protein

And I was also offering an ample selection of local beers and easy-sipping summer wines. The quantity was sufficient, but the variety needed just a little something extra to ensure everyone would stay satiated—and sober. At this point, I came up with the perfect solution: Channel my inner Sandra Lee, and make it semi-homemade! 

To round out my catered buffet, in a large saucepan, I simply combined 1 jar of marinara (Ina loves Rao’s, and I do, too) and 1 bag of Simek’s Classic Turkey Meatballs, which hit the mark for the gluten-free, protein-craving crowd.

After stirring to combine, cranking the heat to medium, then bringing it back down to low to keep warm, I gave the 36 tomato-sauced meatballs a final stir. Since my buffet also included crostini for the cheese and charcuterie selection, people could grab a slice from there to act as the vehicle for their saucy meatballs. Or they could eat it simply with a fork. 

With one shopping trip to Target* and a mere five minutes of prep time, the spread was all set—no sweat! And 90 minutes into the gathering, this two-ingredient snack was earning rave reviews and was the first item on the buffet to completely disappear.

Much like these beloved Bacon-Wrapped Crackers, this two-ingredient appetizer is ultra-easy, feeds a crowd, and is a terrific party menu idea for any time of year. 

The next time you’re unsure of what your appetizer menu is missing, might I recommend that you go ahead and have a ball? 

*You can also find marinara and Simek’s products at Walmart and Harris Teeter. Alternatively, swap in your own go-to meatball variety.