Appetizers, Finger Food, Hors D'Oeuvres

No matter what you call that mini tasting prior to the meal, appetizers are fun and delish!  A friend is attending a Halloween Party next weekend and requested a recipe for a "different" appetizer to make.  She did not want to make a fruit or vegetable tray (although my friend Jessica makes a super neat one with kabobs and the best fruit dip! Recipe to follow soon!)  Nor did she want to make a Hot Crab Dip, Sausage Balls, Cheese Ball.  Something that is not normally found at the parties she had attended recently.... this was getting difficult!  We pulled out recipe books.  I searched the world wide web.  All while we tossed around ideas.... pigs in a blanket, brownie bites, Prosciutto Wrapped Melon.  EUREKA!  We found it - Goat cheese logs with Pepper Jelly and crackers.  This was served last Thanksgiving as the family waited for the dinner on Black Friday.  I should say the MEN waited patiently as the WOMEN had been pottery shopping all day and were just happy to prop their feet for a moment!  Super simple appetizer and quite tasty!  A friend had given us a jar of homemade pepper jelly.  Simply open a log of Goat Cheese  and pour pepper jelly over top of it.  Serve with buttery crackers.  The creaminess of the cheese and the hint of heat in the jelly on the golden cracker is heavenly BLISS!
You can also make individual crackers topped with a slice of cheese with the jelly.  In case you need a recipe or guidance, check out this link:
http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/goat-cheese-crackers-hot-pepper-jelly.aspx

And let me just add, with all this talk of appetizers and sausage balls - the Big Guy made sausage balls last night! ;)