Look no further. I have ten recipes I’d like to share today. With the holidays approaching (who am I kidding Christmas is only 4 days away) a lot of people only concentrate on the dinner and how much can they squeeze into their oven to make sure it’s the best feast ever. While I see nothing wrong with that people tend to forget about appetizers. They are great for serving by the kitchen area so while you are working away you can still interact with your guests. Also I firmly believe if there is any type of gathering appetizers are a must not just for conversational purposes but because some people don’t eat all day just saving up to eat dinner. I do not recommend that because really all it does is make you fill up faster and gain weight quicker.
A classic appetizer is veggies and dip. A good way to change it up a bit would be to omit the dip and replace it with hummus.
Fondue is not only good but can be fun, especially for kids, and there are so many ways to do it, or should I say dip it. You can pretty much dip anything into fondue so creating your own little food on a stick smothered in cheese is always fun for everyone.
Fruits. Making a fruit tray or fruit bowl or fruit ship out of pineapple is always a crowd pleaser. If you put out fruit next to a fried option I can almost guarantee the fruits will be gone first.
Mini stuffed croissants. My sister made these for Hanukkah and my oh my were they tasty little bites. And they are super easy. Roll out Pillsbury croissants and separate the pre sliced pieces. Take a tablespoon of spinach dip and pinch the sides closed of the dough. Top with a light brushing of butter and cook according to directions.
Tomato Bruschetta. If you’ve never had this I recommend you trying some, especially if you love tomatoes. If not this might not be your forte. There are many recipes to be found online but the basics are the same. Chopped tomatoes, garlic, basil & olive oil. Chop, mix, let sit in the fridge for a little bit to incorporate all the flavors and then when your guests are there serve with a sliced french baguette.You can also add in some chopped mozzarella if you’d like. Who doesn’t love cheese right.
Deviled eggs. I don’t know about you but I love deviled eggs. I have to keep myself away from them or I just keep on eating them up. I know some people make them with relish in it but I like to keep them simple, classic. I just mash the yolk with mayonnaise (not cool whip), a dash of salt and pepper and whaalaa, deviled egg mixture. Put about a teaspoon of filling into each egg and top with paprika.
A go to appetizer for me is crackers, cheese, either turkey or salami and olives. It’s very easy to throw together and not only to adults eat it up but kids love it too. I usually use wheat thins. And you want to use a full flavored cheese like sharp cheddar. You can use any type of olives you’d like but I prefer Spanish olives and/or kalamata.
Stuffed mushrooms. This is one recipe that can also be made many ways and is relatively simple. I found a Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushroom recipe from Martha Stewarts recipe page earlier this week that I am saving for a later date. I’ve never cooked with goat cheese but I’ve had it before and depending on what it is cooked with it is delish.
Shrimp cocktails. This is one that never lasts long if it is anywhere near our family. Everyone except my oldest loves shrimp. I have to move my husband away from it sometimes because he will literally devour it all haha. Really you can’t get any simpler then cleaning the shrimp and serving with cocktail sauce.
And last but not least salad. Salads tend to be forgotten at holiday meals for some reason. So if it’s not on your menu for dinner add it to your appetizer menu. You can get creative and make a taco salad and serve in little taco cups or a Chinese chicken salad served in a leaf of butter leaf lettuce. There are so many ways to make salads your options are virtually limitless.
I hope my appetizer ideas have helped anyone lost for ideas on what to make. And now that I have talked about all this food I have made myself hungry. Have a very Merry Christmas
