Name: Shrimp and Cucumber Canapes
Prep time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: North America, Cajun
Ingredients: 1/2 cup ketchup; 4 teaspoons Creole seasoning, divided; 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion; 1 tablespoon finely chopped green pepper; 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery; 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce; 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened; 24 English cucumber slices; 24 peeled and deveined cooked medium shrimp; 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Shrimp and cucumber canapes are bite-sized appetizers that feel fancy, but come together in a snap.

Ingredients

1/2 cup ketchup

4 teaspoons Creole seasoning, divided

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon finely chopped green pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped celery

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

24 English cucumber slices

24 peeled and deveined cooked medium shrimp

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Instructions

1 Make the cocktail sauce

2 In a small bowl, mix the ketchup with 2 teaspoons of Creole seasoning, finely chopped onion, green pepper, celery and hot pepper sauce. Stir until smooth, then set aside. Editor's Tip: If you're making the cocktail sauce in advance, cover the bowl and pop it in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the canapes.

3 Season the cream cheese

4 In another bowl, combine the cream cheese with the remaining Creole seasoning. Editor's Tip: Use a rubber spatula or handheld mixer, and beat the cream cheese until it's light and fluffy.

5 Assemble the canapes

6 Using a spoon or piping bag, add a dollop of the Creole cream cheese to each cucumber slice. Top each with a small spoonful of cocktail sauce and cooked shrimp. Finish with a sprinkle of minced parsley. Editor's Tip: Aim for about 2 teaspoons of cream cheese and 1 teaspoon of cocktail sauce per cucumber slice for well-balanced bites.