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Grill up some beef tenderloin (you don't need much!) and make that rare!
Toast baguettes, and make the sauce that goes with Ina Garten's Beef horseradish sandwiches (i'll have to find the link but you can search for it on Food Network website I believe). Spread some sauce, slap down a tiny piece of arugula, slice of beef on top and garnish with something ....my creativity is leaving me on the garnish front. Yum!

Here's an easy yummy one --
slice a jalepeno pepper long ways and take out pith and seeds. Fill each half with cream cheese, then wrap with bacon and put under the broiler until the bacon gets crispy! YUMMO
To make it "fancier" you could put a half of a shrimp (sauteed in olive oil & garlic, or grilled quickly) nestled in there with the cream cheese, THEN wrap with bacon and broil...

Also, speaking of shrimp, one of my all-time favorite standbys is jumbo tiger shrimp marinated in lime juice, garlic, a dash of Tequila, salt/pepper and cilantro, then skewer them and grill them...serve with a fresh pico de gallo made with plum tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, jalepeno, lime juice and mango.

My favorite appetizer to make is real easy, but the flavors really work well:

make crostini out of your favorite crusty bread, you know, olive oil, 350 oven till slightly golden and crispy
arugula
bosc or asian pears (i prefer bosc)
shaved pecorino romano cheese
lemon vinagrette, or even better, lemoncello vinagrette
(just lemon, good extra virgin olive oil, s & p)

assemble them, and just before your ready to serve, drizzle the vinaigrette over them, they are delicious.

If you want more info about Juliebugsmama suggestion of the Stuffed Jalapeno, visit thepioneerwomancooks.com. They are good and go quickly. In the cream cheese you can also add in Ranch powder mix (forget who told me that from this website but it's a good add in!).

Here's a few other ideas:
~Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
~Bacon or Prosciutto wrapped Scallops
~Shrimp Scampi
~Sushi/Sashimi

You may not need to go all fancy to impress...Why not find out their fave food and make that for them instead? It may impress them more that you took the time to find out their fave foods. :)

These are all great...thanks! Keep 'em coming! ;-)

I guess these aren't really fancy, but I love them anyway and they always impress! Mix shredded sharp cheddar with a little flour and butter, roll them into balls, and bake until they get crispy. They're great for dipping, or on their own.

Get really good quality cheese like a brie, gouda or stilton cheese; some cured olives and a spread like hummus garnished w/ feta. Present on a cheese board or wood cutting board with crackers and pita. Pick one or two of the suggestions above and a nice wine. Presentation and good quality ingredients are your friends.

I say stick to what you know. If you have a go to dish, fancy it up with garnish or a special presentation. If you can't cook put together an anitpasto platter or something like that.

My family is full of amazing cooks, and honestly, there's nothing my mom, grandmothers, etc. love more than great antipasti - cured meats, olives, sweet and sour peppers, roasted garlic, little fishes, artichokes, eggplant, beans, cheeses, etc.

But we're also in Wisconsin, and here in Madison where I go to school I often get a "lazy susan" at The Old Fashioned restaurant on the square. It's sort of like an antipasto platter, but with SuperSconnie ingredients - summer sausage, braunschweiger, local cheeses, deviled eggs, landjaeger, etc.

So that might be an impressive spread - an "antipasto" tray that reflects where you live, or hell, where you *don't* live, but one with a cool theme.

I have to agree about presentation. Also, keep it really simple and stay in your serving comfort zone. That will make you look like an entertaining pro. Buy great quality and take some advise from the specialists in your store. If his dad is an AMAZING chef, he will probably take great pleasure in enjoying your company and your new home over any effort at serving food you do not normally make. Cheese, olives, etc. Food in it's natural state when you purchase it. A great cook is all about tasting the ingredients!

Congratulations on your new home. I wish you many happy years there and lots of great adventures in your new kitchen!

Congrats on the new house. When I entertain I like to place a varitey of different textures, tastes, styles of cheese, same with crackers. I take role of brie, wrap in puff pastry and bake, serve w/cranberry or raspberry chutney. Pate (whether it be liver or mushroom). Dolmathes. Tea sandwichs I make plain cream cheese and cucumbers, cream cheese w/sun dried tomatos and cucs, and cream cheese mixed with smoked salmon and cucs. Ceviche served in martini glasses. Chicken satay w/a peanut sauce. Savory &/or sweet fondues.

you could also go the spanish tapas route -- a bunch of small plates of bites to eat, like olives, spiced nuts (you could make these yourself), gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), setas (mushrooms sauteed in olive oil), maybe a larger plate with some manchego and cabrales cheeses, etc.