Hanky Panky Appetizers
Ground beef, hot sausage, and creamy Velveeta cheese on toasted rye bread make these simple Hanky Panky Appetizers the perfect savory addition to any fall or winter gathering.
Cool weather means warm gatherings and good food. Being together and sharing a variety of seasonal dishes with the ones I love feels like heaven on earth.
I like to start get-togethers with savory snacks like this Hanky Panky Appetizer Recipe from the 70s and 80s.
This simple dish goes by a variety unique names like Polish Mistakes, Sausage Snacks, Sh*t on a Shingle (let’s just abbreviate that to SOS!), and Crap on Toast. Whatever you decide to call it, I think we can all agree it’s delicious.
Scoops of cheesy ground beef and spicy sausage top flavorful slices of rye bread. Broil them for a few minutes, top with chopped parsley, and voila — it’s time to start snacking!
But, don’t stop with just one appetizer. Make sure to cover your snack table with lots of tasty options like Puff Pastry Appetizers with Goat Cheese and Jam, Crockpot Little Smokies, RITZ® Crackers Party Sandwiches, and Hawaiian Roll Sliders!
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Why is this the BEST Hanky Panky Recipe?
Everyone loves a savory snack when it’s time to party. I think you’ll agree that Polish Mistakes (HOW did they get that name?) are irresistible.
- They have simple, classic ingredients that everyone adores. I mean, what could go wrong with seasoned meat and bubbly cheese on toasted bread? Nothing!
- Speaking of spices, this Sausage Snack Recipe has the perfect balance of spices and seasonings like salt, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, and parsley. Yum!
- Plus, these little appetizers are easy to make ahead and freeze for later. That means you can start your party planning early, and simplify preparations on the day of your gathering.
Ingredients
- This recipe starts with browned ground beef and flavorful ground hot sausage (such as Jimmy Dean or Bob Evans). You can use any type of hamburger and ground sausage you like. Just make sure to drain off most of the fat before mixing the meat with the cheese and spices.
- Creamy Velveeta cheese holds everything together. It’s melty, gooey perfection.
- Worcestershire sauce is the secret ingredient to add extra savory flavor.
- Aromatic dried oregano is mixed right into the topping mixture. For a pretty finish, sprinkle the sausage snacks with chopped parsley (fresh or dried) after removing the appetizers from the oven.
- This recipe is in a variety of cookbooks from the 70s and 80s. The recipes are mostly the same, with slight variations in salt and pepper, and garlic salt and garlic powder. I think I found the perfect balance of garlic salt and salt to enhance the other robust flavors in the topping.
- I used party-sized rye bread as the base. You could also use pumpernickel. I like the earthy, malted flavor of the bread as it lightly crisps under the broiler. Sometimes party loaves or cocktail breads are difficult to find. Occasionally you’ll find them on the bread aisle, but most often they are found in the deli, near the deli counter.
How to make Hanky Panky Appetizers
Place the ground beef and ground hot sausage in a large skillet over medium heat.
Cook until browned and cooked through, breaking the meat up as it cooks.
While the meat is cooking, cut the Velveeta into cubes.
Once the meat is cooked, drain off the majority of excess grease.
Add the Velveeta, and continue to cook until the Velveeta is melted.
Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, oregano, garlic salt, and regular salt.
Preheat broiler to high, and line a baking tray with slices of rye party bread.
Place a 2-tablespoon-sized scoop of cheesy meat mixture onto each slice of bread.
Broil the appetizers until hot and bubbly, about 2–3 minutes. Watch carefully so they don’t burn!
Note: If you don’t want to use a broiler, you can bake the appetizers for 15–18 minutes at 350°F.
Remove from the oven, and top with chopped fresh or dried parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
Storage information
Leftover appetizers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat Hanky Panky Appetizers, place them on a baking sheet under the broiler until warm and bubbly (about 2 minutes). Watch them carefully so they don’t burn. You can also place them in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes.
Make-ahead and freezer instructions
These are easy to freeze. Assemble the appetizers as directed, but don’t broil them. To prevent them from sticking together, freeze the appetizers in a single layer on a cookie sheet for an hour. Then place the lightly frozen snacks in resealable freezer bags. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
When ready to enjoy, place the squares on a cookie sheet, and broil from frozen until warm throughout (2–3 minutes). You can also bake them at 350°F for 20 minutes.
Variations
Hanky Panky Appetizers are easy to customize based on the ingredients you have on hand, and the taste preferences of your group.
- If you are feeding a crowd who doesn’t like spice, feel free to use mild sausage or regular hamburger in place of the hot sausage.
- Use soy sauce instead of Worcestershire sauce.
- Experiment with the spices. Add a little ground pepper or swap garlic powder for garlic salt. Leave out the oregano and/or chopped parsley, if desired.
- If you can’t find rye bread (or just don’t like it), make Hanky Panky on another type of bread. The topping tastes delicious on sourdough, pumpernickel, or other bread flavor of choice. Just make sure to use smaller slices of bread. If needed, cut larger slices of bread into smaller pieces.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
📖 Recipe
Hanky Panky Appetizers
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 lb. ground hot sausage such as Jimmy Dean or Bob Evans
- 1 lb. Velveeta
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 loaf party rye bread
- Chopped parsley fresh or dried, optional garnish
Instructions
- Place the ground beef and ground hot sausage in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cook until browned and cooked through, breaking the meat up as it cooks.
- While the meat is cooking, cut the Velveeta into cubes.
- Once the meat is cooked, drain the grease off. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just get the majority of it out of the pan.
- Add the Velveeta, and continue to cook until the Velveeta is melted.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, oregano, garlic salt, and regular salt.
- Preheat broiler to high.
- Line a baking sheet with slices of rye bread.
- Place a 2-tablespoon-sized scoop of the cheese and meat mixture onto each slice of bread.
- Broil the appetizers until hot and bubbly, about 2–3 minutes. Watch carefully so they don’t burn! If you don't want to use a broiler, bake for 15–18 minutes at 350°F.
- If desired, sprinkle with fresh or dried chopped parsley after baking. Enjoy!
Notes
- Replace hot sausage with mild sausage or regular hamburger
- Use soy sauce in place of Worcestershire sauce
- Experiment with the spices. Add a little ground pepper or swap garlic powder for garlic salt. Leave out the oregano and/or chopped parsley, if desired.
- Make these on another type of bread such as sourdough, pumpernickel, or other bread flavor of choice. Use smaller slices of bread. If needed, cut larger slices of bread into smaller pieces.
