One of the great things about ordering pizza is that you generally order a large enough pie to have leftovers for breakfast or lunch the next day. Cold pizza might be delicious the next morning, but it is not always the most attractive dish to serve company. While there are many delicious ways for you to dress up your left over pizza and create a whole new meal, one thing you might not consider is how well leftover pizza can turn into appetizers for an unexpected social gathering. If you have unexpected party guests showing up or simply forgot that you were supposed to bring snack to a friend's party, and you have a half-eaten pizza in your refrigerator, you can quickly make one of these three party platters. 

Pizza Skewers 

Do you have a few cocktail skewers lying in a drawer? If you do, then you can quickly skewer a leftover pizza to create an easy finger-food. First, you should cut the pizza into one inch squares. Don't worry if you have some odd-shaped triangles. Then, skewer the squares. Between each square you can place an olive, block of cheese, lunch meat, or a cherry tomato. If you are feeling creative, you may try pieces of fruit between the pizza, such as pineapple, apple, or orange slices. 

Pizza Pate 

Did you order extra marinara sauce with your pizza? If you did, or if you happen to have a jar of marinara sauce in your cupboard, then you can make a pizza pate to spread on crackers. To make a pizza pate, you should first separate the crusts from your pizza. Then, you should chop up the remaining pizza into bite sized pizza. Place the pizza in a blender or food processor with one-quarter cup of marinara sauce for each slice of pizza. Using the pulse function on your food processor, blend the ingredients until you have created a smooth paste. If your paste is chunky, you may want to add more marinara sauce or a little bit of olive oil until you have a smooth, firm paste. 

To serve, spread the paste on crackers or bruschetta and top with a slice of olive as a garnish. 

Pizza Meatballs 

Pizza makes a tasty replacement for croutons in traditional meatballs. To make pizza meatballs, you should cut a slice of leftover pizza into squares about one-quarter inch or smaller. Add these squares to one pound of ground beef, one egg, and as much salt and pepper as you prefer. Mix the ingredients by hand for 2-4 minutes and then form one-inch balls.

You can either bake or fry your rolled balls. To bake them, place them on a cookie sheet and bake on 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. To fry them, heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side. To test, cut a meatball open and make sure it is no longer pink inside. 

To serve these, arrange them on a platter with toothpicks or cocktail skewers. In the center of the platter, place a bowl with marinara sauce for dipping. 

These quick, creative ideas will not only use up the last of your leftover pizza, but they will also create a snack filled with traditional pizza flavor that is sure to be a hit at your next party. The main thing to remember when turning any food into a party snack is to find a way to make it into a finger food that the guests can easily pick up without a lot of mess.