Food & Drink :: Party Appetizers that Impress

I’ve always envied the people that come up with the most creative, delicious, and impressive appetizers to bring to a party. Every time I volunteer to bring an appetizer, I always end up with something safe, think simple devilled eggs (though they are pretty darn tasty), a meat and cheese board, or a veggie dip. The truth is, they’re a bit boring and quite frankly I’m ready for something elevated and more substantial!

During my visit to Loblaws last week, I came across three appetizer options from the PC Insiders Collection that were surprisingly delectable, but the best part is that they require almost zero prepping and they taste fresh and can almost fool the smartest taste testers. They’ll never believe these items came frozen!

Keep reading to see what three exciting appetizers I picked up!

I’m a HUGE fan of tataki. I typically order this dish from my most frequented Japanese restaurants. If you’ve not tried this dish before, it is thinly sliced seared raw sashimi grade fish drizzled or served with a lovely soy based dressing.

When I found the PC Salmon Tataki Seared Atlantic Salmon tucked neatly in the seafood frozen aisle I have to say I was both intrigued yet sceptical. I wasn’t too sure about the fact that it was frozen, and in addition, I wasn’t sure about the quality of the fish and also what the ‘pre-seared’ component would offer.

I must say that I’m 100% sold on this item and it tastes almost identical to any salmon tataki dish I’ve ordered from restaurants. With the fanciest serving dish and utensils, I promise you that everyone is going to think that you got these fresh from the fish market!

To prepare these, simply run the frozen package under cold water for about 15 minutes. They immediately take out of the package and arrange on a serving dish. Drizzle the sesame soy dressing that is accompanied with the product and add a finishing touch of chopped spring onions for that extra detail.

These were SO amazingly delish and I even picked up the PC Tuna Tataki Sustainably Sourced Seared Wild Albacore Tuna variation!

With a light fish dish such as salmon or tuna tataki, I wanted to bring together a couple of additional hearty starters into the mix.

Ever since Kyle and I discovered the PC Waffle Cone Chicken with Spicy Maple Syrup Boneless Chicken Breast Fillets, we’ve been OBSESSED! I’m not over exaggerating when I say that we’ve had this at least three times in the last month. Not only are they easy to make (pop them in the oven for about 20 minutes) but they are juicy, tender, and the crunchy waffle cone breading gives it an unexpected touch of sweetness which is unlike any regular ‘chicken finger’.

Lastly, have you tried to attempt tempura at home before?! I have! And I really didn’t do a good job. It was extremely messy with all the tempura batter and frying oil! Luckily I found these PC Tempura Torpedo Shrimp with Sweet Soy Dipping Sauce that only took approximately 10 minutes in the oven and voila! The shrimp came out light, crispy and flaky, just like the real deal.

I really enjoy all the appetizer and starter options the collection has to offer. They were all designed to make entertaining simple, wonderful and worry-free. If you’ve not yet explored the PC Insiders Collection this holiday, I urge you to do so. The collection offers an assortment of options from appetizers, entrees, desserts, and even gift ideas too!

If you’re looking for more holiday entertaining ideas, check out my last post on creating a Festive Chocolate Sweets Station!

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by President’s Choice but all creative ideas and opinions are my own! Follow along #PCInsidersCollection and #DiscoverPC to find other fantastic food and entertaining ideas.