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  5. How To Turn a Potato Into the Best Party Food Ever

How To Turn a Potato Into the Best Party Food Ever

Patricia S York, Assistant Food Editor at Southern Living
By Patricia S York
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Jalapeño Pimento Cheese Stuffed Vegetables
The modest potato is one of the hardest working food items in our pantry. Not quite as showy and colorful as other root vegetables, such as carrots and beets, the vitamin-rich potato is, nevertheless, extremely versatile and can singlehandedly feed a hungry family—with the help of an added ingredient or two, of course.  Bake it and add a touch of butter for a hearty and satisfying baked potato. Boil it and add milk for a soothing potato soup. The ways with sweet potatoes are endless, as well, from desserts to side dishes. Potatoes aren't just for mashing, however. This budget-friendly item can turn into an elegant party potato appetizer that will have guests thinking you spent all day in the kitchen. Whether you are hosting a family holiday feast or a rowdy tailgate party, there is a potato appetizer recipe to suit your needs. So wrap it in bacon, dunk it in a dip, or fry it like a pancake. Hearty potato appetizers are so tasty that your guests may just forget the main course and linger at the appetizer table all night.
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Potato Skins

Jalapeño Pimento Cheese Stuffed Vegetables

Recipe: Potato Skins with Classic Pimiento Cheese

Potato Skins, everyone’s favorite bar food, gets a bump in flavor and color with the addition of that Southern classic, pimiento cheese.

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Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip

Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip

The party would not be complete without something wrapped in bacon, right? Keep the queso blanco warm in a fondue pot or a small, 1-qt. slow cooker. These appetizers are hearty, so this is an ideal potato appetizer recipe for large crowds, such as tailgate events.

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Sweet Potato Crostini with Goat Cheese and Grape Salsa

Sweet Potato Crostini with Goat Cheese and Grape Salsa
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Sweet Potato Crostini with Goat Cheese and Grape Salsa

Frozen sweet potato waffle fries are so good, we had to come up with different ways to use them. In this party potato recipe, they serve as a crostini, topped with tangy goat cheese and a sweet and spicy grape and pepper salsa.

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Fingerling Potatoes with Avocado and Smoked Salmon

Fingerling Potatoes with Avocado and Smoked Salmon
Credit: Jim Franco

Recipe: Fingerling Potatoes with Avocado and Smoked Salmon

Fingerling potatoes may be small, but they pack a lot of punch when it comes to taste and versatility. This quick and easy party potato dish comes together in under an hour.

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Rosemary Salt-and-Vinegar Chips

Cranberry-Goat Cheese Canapés
Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Rosemary Salt-and-Vinegar Chips

Say goodbye to store bought, mouth-puckering bagged varieties of vinegar chips. A homemade brine gives these chips a more delicate vinegar tang, and the added flavor from the rosemary salt will make these chips an essential appetizer for every party.

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Deviled Potatoes

Deviled Potatoes
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Deviled Potatoes

Two Southern classics, deviled eggs and potato salad, join forces to create these two-bite wonders. The potato pulp is scooped out, filled with flavor from sour cream, capers, and other ingredients, and stuffed back in the shell. This appetizer is an ideal recipe to take to an event. Make them a day before your get-together, and chill until you head out. When you arrive, they'll be the right serving temperature.

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Salt-and-Pepper Oven Fries

Salt-and-Pepper Oven Fries
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Salt-and-Pepper Oven Fries

Take this simple appetizer idea to the next level by using different seasoning blends, such as Italian, BBQ, or Cajun. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled depending on the size of your crowd. Serve Salt-and-Pepper Oven Fries in votive holders for an updated look.

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Scalloped Sweet Potato Stacks

Scalloped Sweet Potato Stacks
Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Scalloped Sweet Potato Stacks

Here is an elegant and unique way to turn sweet potatoes into a party appetizer. An everyday muffin pan is used to create these pretty party potatoes. Feel free to substitute the mozzarella cheese with Gruyère. This recipe makes a hearty appetizer or side dish.

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Sweet Potato Squares With Lemon-Garlic Mayonnaise

Sweet Potato Squares With Lemon-Garlic Mayonnaise
Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Sweet Potato Squares with Lemon-Garlic Mayonnaise

Roasted sweet potato cubes and sliced smoked sausage combine to create a savory and satisfying appetizer. The natural sweetness of the potato, along with the juicy flavor of the spicy smoked sausage, pairs well with the tangy lemon and garlic mayonnaise dip. Prepare the mayonnaise in advance and store in the refrigerator.

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Loaded Baked Potato Dip

Loaded Baked Potato Dip
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Loaded Baked Potato Dip

The favorite loaded baked potato is reinvented as an incredibly rich and flavorful dip. Served with waffle fries, this will soon become your family’s favorite party potato food. The recipe makes a lot and can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days.

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Sweet Potato Latkes

Russet and Sweet Potato Latkes
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Sweet Potato Latkes with Thyme Scented Applesauce

We added a Southern flair to the traditional latke by using sweet potatoes as well as russet. Panko adds extra crunch to the latkes. Whether you serve this as a Hanukkah dish or a party potato appetizer, you will enjoy the addition of the Thyme-Scented Applesauce.

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Potato-Crusted Pizza

Potato-Crusted Pizza Recipe
Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Potato-Crusted Pizza

Adults will love this party potato recipe as an appetizer for a tailgate event, and kids will love it as a main course before heading outdoors. We used Ore-Ida Crispy Crowns frozen seasoned shredded potatoes to create a tasty crust.

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Sweet Potato Chips

Sweet Potato Chips
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Sweet Potato Chips

The secret to crisp sweet potato chips is to fry them in small batches, in peanut oil, at a low temperature. This makes 6 servings when served as a side but will be plenty for 10 appetizer servings. Sprinkle with salt while hot, or use your favorite herbs and spice blends.

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Mini Latkes With Salmon-Olive Relish

Hanukkah: Mini Latkes With Salmon-Olive Relish

Recipe: Mini Latkes With Salmon-Olive Relish

Whether serving these as a party appetizer or side dish for Hanukkah, the key to the best latkes is patting the potato-and-onion mixture very dry on paper towels before adding eggs and matzo meal. Get everything ready, including the salt for sprinkling on the cooked latkes, before you grate the potatoes and onion.

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Sweet Potato Tartlets

Sweet Potato Tartlets
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Sweet Potato Tartlets

These pretty tarts are the perfect treat for guests as they wait on the main course. You can make them up to a day ahead, and store, covered, in the fridge.

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Sweet Potato Biscuits

Chicks in a Blanket
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Sweet Potato Biscuits

If there is anything better than a warm, buttery biscuit, it is one made with the South’s favorite root vegetable, the sweet potato. Serve these from-scratch biscuits with country ham and pepper jelly as an appetizer or brunch item.

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Crispy Sweet Potato-Green Onion Cakes

Cast-Iron Salsa Recipe
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Crispy Sweet Potato-Green Onion Cakes

These savory little numbers, served with a dollop of sour cream and a squeeze of lime, make a tasty, crunchy party potato appetizer. They are equally delicious as a side dish to accompany roasted or grilled meats or fish.

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Potato Blini with Sour Cream and Caviar

Potato Blini with Sour Cream and Caviar
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Potato Blini with Sour Cream and Caviar

These elegant party potatoes are perfect for a holiday party or brunch. For a different twist, nix the caviar and add cheese, jalapenos and bacon to the sour cream.

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    1 of 18 Potato Skins
    2 of 18 Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip
    3 of 18 Sweet Potato Crostini with Goat Cheese and Grape Salsa
    4 of 18 Fingerling Potatoes with Avocado and Smoked Salmon
    5 of 18 Rosemary Salt-and-Vinegar Chips
    6 of 18 Deviled Potatoes
    7 of 18 Salt-and-Pepper Oven Fries
    8 of 18 Scalloped Sweet Potato Stacks
    9 of 18 Sweet Potato Squares With Lemon-Garlic Mayonnaise
    10 of 18 Loaded Baked Potato Dip
    11 of 18 Sweet Potato Latkes
    12 of 18 Potato-Crusted Pizza
    13 of 18 Sweet Potato Chips
    14 of 18 Mini Latkes With Salmon-Olive Relish
    15 of 18 Sweet Potato Tartlets
    16 of 18 Sweet Potato Biscuits
    17 of 18 Crispy Sweet Potato-Green Onion Cakes
    18 of 18 Potato Blini with Sour Cream and Caviar

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