Hosting is a big responsibility that only gets bigger when food is being served. Hosts without much time on their hands to prepare foods for cocktail hour need only a few minutes to whip up the following recipe for “Gorgonzola Canapes with Walnuts” from A.J. Rathbun’s “Party Snacks!” (Harvard Common Press).

Gorgonzola Canapes with Walnuts

Makes 30 canapes

11/2 cups crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

30 sturdy round crackers

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1. In a medium-size bowl, toss the Gorgonzola and walnuts. When tossing, be gentle, as you donÕt want to end up with big clumps.
2.  Top each cracker with a small mound of the cheese mixture, pressing the mixture lightly onto each cracker to keep it from slipping off. Top each cracker with 3 or 4 cranberries, and sprinkle a touch of minced parsley on top of each.