They would host a party, serving only sweet potatoes from their Midwestern prairie root cellar if that was all they had.

The Ingallses come to mind this holiday season because, as a child, I marveled at how they met hard times with resignation and resourcefulness.

Many of us, through necessity or fear of what 2009 will bring to financial markets, will not be splurging on holiday entertaining. But this doesn't mean we have to be resigned to eating a can of baked beans alone.

Sure, a potluck is one way to cut the costs of throwing a party, but it is possible to do it alone - thriftily and elegantly - by throwing a mid-afternoon open house.

The key to this is creating an appetizer bar with nibbles that come in part from our contemporary "root cellars" that we call pantries.

These nibbles can be a combination of simple, homey and ritzy-looking.

An updated definition of resourceful? Top high-quality potato chips with smoked salmon and a dollop of flavored cream cheese. Or transform homey macaroni and cheese into comforting cocktail bites by forming it in mini-muffin tins. (See recipes below.)

Put food on toothpicks. Think contrasting flavors or a flavor balance of sweet, salty and spicy, as with the feta and olive skewers suggested by cookbook author Ellie Krieger in The Food You Crave. Think retro, which means serving new takes on old ideas, such as the olives wrapped in flavorful dough described below, a throwback to cocktail parties of the 1950s.

In Perfect Recipes for Having People Over, author Pam Anderson suggests inviting guests to create some of their own hors d'oeuvres by placing a variety of breads and chips (such as toasted pita wedges) and dips in the center of the table.

She recommends sticking with items that need little or no preparation, such as marinated artichokes or sliced pepperoni. Visit ethnic markets to discover jarred spreads, such as the red pepper-eggplant mixture called ajvar, which is popular in the Balkan states. Many Middle Eastern markets carry excellent canned, stuffed grape leaves that are surprisingly inexpensive.

And many Indian or Sri Lankan groceries make their own or sell jarred spreads made of cilantro or tamarind. These are tangy complements to cream cheese, either as a base or a dip.

Set these in a basket beside pappadum, the cloudlike, crispy Indian flatbreads that are sometimes labeled puppodum. These rounds may also be purchased in Indian markets. They are typically deep-fried, but may also be microwaved. Simply place them in a single layer on a microwave turntable and microwave on high power, watching constantly through the oven door. When they rise up into curvy crispness, stop the oven and remove them. Continue with another batch.

Don't forget an offering made of chicken. One, maybe two supermarket roasted birds, picked clean, can be fashioned into enough chicken salad to feed a crowd.

Good old egg salad on toast rounds and deviled eggs are also familiar but comforting finger food.

And don't forget to include something sweet. Christmas cookies are always welcome, almost a command performance in some homes. I'm recommending chocolate shortbread wedges as a new addition to the dessert tray this year.

All of which brings me back to the stalwart Ingalls family, whose spirit in tough times is uplifting for those of us who encountered them in childhood.

Remember when Ma Ingalls held onto the clothesline in a blizzard to get to the barn to milk the cows and gather eggs to sustain the family? And all of the times when Pa hunted, caught, skinned and butchered their entree?

All so commendable and inspiring, and I am encouraged by their good example. To a point. I'm heading for the deli counter for logs of salami, which do not try to escape.

Marinated Feta and Olive Skewers