Holiday Appetizers

When people walk through the door for a party, you're busy taking their coats, their gifts, and getting them a usually much-needed glass of wine. The last thing you want to be doing is hanging out in the kitchen fiddling with appetizers. 


Lots of consideration needs to go into those little bites: Hot or cold? Cheese or cheese-free? Can I make it ahead? Will I need to continually replenish? Will everyone like it?


The most important consideration, I think though, is: is an oven required and/or available? 


If you need an oven, you'll need to do a little more last minute work with the appetizer, but it may also interfere with the main course. If you don't need an oven, you can probably do most of it ahead. The best parties I have been to, have a balance of both -- good for the guests and the host!


Here are some great options for both that are in my own recipe file and some from around the web for your next holiday get together.


Oven

• Spinach Parmesan Balls
• Baked Pita Triangles
• Bacon Rollups
• Double Tomato Bruschetta
• Salmon Cakes
• Herbed Stuffed Mushroom Caps by The Family Kitchen
• Spinach Artichoke Dip by Annie's Eats
• White Bean Dip by Our Best Bites

Non-Oven

• Cheese Trays
• Caprese Skewers by the Food Network
• Cheese Stuffed Dates with Proscuitto by Bell Alimento
• Pesto Cheesecake by Foodstuff
• 7 Layer Bean Dip by Simply Recipes
• Coconut Shrimp by Closet Cooking

Savoury Stuffed Acorn Squash

As soon as I saw this featured in a holiday spread in House and Home magazine, I knew I wanted to make it. I had never cooked with acorn squash before but I do love squash, and the "stuffing" sounded delicious with the apple and pecans. But mostly, I loved the presentation. Imagine serving this as a first course to your dinner guests? So unexpected.

Another great thing is that this is a make ahead -- always a must for me when entertaining. There is some last minute assembly and broiling of the cheese, but overall an easy and impressive dish that will certainly grace the table of my next get together.

Savoury Stuffed Acorn Squash

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 6 small acorn squash
• 1/4 cup butter, plus two tbsp 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 6 shallots, chopped
• 3 McIntosh apples, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tsp crumbled dried sage
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with foil. Cut squash in half lengthwise, from stem to tip, and scoop out seeds. Pat with 1/4 cup of butter and sprinkle brown sugar over the inside of each. Roast, flat side up, for 40-50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small frying pan, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Saute shallots, apple, celery, pecans and sage until apples and celery are soft. Stir in bread crumbs and salt and pepper.
• Remove cooked squash from oven. Stuff with apple mixture. Top with mozzarella and put back in oven and broil until cheese browns. (these can be made ahead, but top with cheese prior to serving)

Recipe adapted from November 2010 issues of House and Home magazine

Spinach Parmesan Balls

We saw these made on a new Food Network show and T was immediately drawn to them, going out to buy two packages of spinach right away. I hope our kids inherit his love of dark, leafy greens, but even if they don't, I'm sure they would jump at these little treats. 


Full of spinach, these can be served as appetizers or even a side. For T, they turned into an anytime snack and were gone within two days. I had to hide three just to take a picture!


They're healthy, easy and pretty delicious. You can take them up a notch with the mustard you serve. We used regular mustard, but they would be lovely with dijon or even  honey dijon.


Ingredients

• 2 packages chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 cups italian-style bread crumbs
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 4 small green onions, finely chopped
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a medium bowl, mix the spinach, bread crumbs, cheese, green onion, eggs, salt and pepper
• Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls -- about the size of a Timbit
• Arrange the balls in a single layer on a baking sheet
• Bake for 15-18 minutes, until lightly browned
• Serve with mustard for dipping

Yorkshire Puddings

Yorkshire puddings originated in Yorkshire, England -- just 100 miles away from the town my maiden name originates from -- so I have a minor personal attachment. It doesn't hurt that I grew up with these for those good ol' meat and potatoes dinners on Sunday nights.


These were the perfect tool to slop up the shallot gravy I served on roast beef. In fact, these were so good, T and I couldn't stop eating them, so if you're serving more than two, you might want to make a double batch!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil    
• 1 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 F. Into each cup of the  muffin pan pour enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom, and heat pan in oven. It is critical that the oil be really hot (it will take 2 to 3 minutes and will be on the border of smoking), otherwise the Yorkshire puddings will not rise: you will have Yorkshire Pucks.
• Sift flour and salt into a bowl.
• Beat eggs well; then stir in milk and vegetable oil.
• Make well in flour, pour in egg mixture and beat until smooth.
• Pour batter into hot pan, filling the cups 1/2 full; the oil should be sizzling at the edges of the batter.
• Bake at 450 for 20 minutes until Yorkshire puddings rise and are golden brown.

Makes 6 - 8.

Baked Pita Triangles

When I make appetizers, I'm usually looking for something easy that I can mostly prepare in advance so I can focus on the main course. Recently, I picked up one of my favourite dips -- roasted red pepper, which I swear I'm going to learn how to make -- and put it on a tray with vegetables. I still wanted it to look like I put some effort into, so I grabbed a bag of Greek-style pitas and decided to bake them.


The real win for these was the kosher salt because they were unexpectedly salty. Served warm, it looked like I put in a lot of time into these little guys, but they were easy to whip up and, because of their large surface area, perfect for dipping.


Ingredients

• 4 no-pocket pitas (often called Greek style)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• pepper 

Directions

• Cut pitas into six triangles by cutting whole pita in half, then each half into three triangles
• Line pitas on a baking sheet
• Lightly brush olive oil onto one side of each pita and sprinkle with salt and pepper
• Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes
• Serve warm

Bacon Rollups

Appetizers, in my experience, tend to be cold because the cook is always using the oven for the dinner. But when I get an opportunity to use the oven for an appetizer, I make these bacon rollups that my dad has been making for years. 


Ok, they're pretty bland looking (though they're better if you bake them seam-side down as I indicate in the recipe), and have no illusions about the health content of these little guys -- bacon and cream cheese?! -- but they explode like little bites of heaven in your mouth. I know it's everything in moderation, but I could eat the entire plate of these. Don't judge until you've tried them.


Ingredients

• 6 slices of bacon, diced
• 2 cups finely chopped mushrooms
• 1 onion chopped
• 5 oz. cream cheese
• 15 slices sandwich bread
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Directions

• In a skillet, cook bacon
• Add mushrooms and onion for 5-8 minutes
• Stir in cream cheese until melted
• Trim crusts from sandwich bread and flatten slices with a rolling pin
• Spread 2 tsp of bacon mixture on each slice
• Roll each piece like a jelly roll and secure with a toothpick
• Place seam-side down on a baking sheet
• Cover and chill for at least an hour
• Brush with melted butter
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until brown
• Remove toothpicks, cut in half and serve

Roasted Garlic

I love garlic. Ever since we discovered jarred garlic (minced and packed in oil), we put in pretty much everything. Making veggies? Add some garlic. An omelette? Add garlic. Risotto? Where's the garlic? 


Lately I've been cooking with fresh garlic and it is significantly better than the jarred garlic (which, after awhile, seemed kind of gelatinous in my fridge). With this new discovery, I've been looking for more ways to enjoy garlic and roasting it was just the thing.


Roasted garlic is very different than fresh garlic. It's mild and flavourful and you can eat it plain. I probably ate three heads of garlic when it came out of the oven -- it was just that good. And simple!! It's super easy to make and very impressive.


How can you use roasted garlic, you ask?

• on garlic bread
• in mashed potatoes
• in mayonnaise 
• with goat cheese as a spread

Ingredients

• garlic heads (do five or six at a time, trust me)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Peel away the excess skin on the garlic, but leave the skin on the cloves in tact.
• With a sharp knife, cut off the pointy end of the garlic so the tips of all the cloves are exposed.
• Place garlic heads on tin foil and drizzle with olive oil (don't be shy on the olive oil) and use your fingers to make sure all cloves are well coated. Season with salt and pepper.
• Create a package with the tin foil and put in over for 45 minutes or until garlic is soft when pressed.
• Let garlic cool and then either peel away skin with a fork or turn upside and squeeze out garlic into a bowl.
• Enjoy as is, or combine with your favourite recipe for a fresh new flavour.

** Tip: An easy way to freeze roasted garlic is in individual ice cube trays. Mash cloves first and then spoon into trays and freeze.

Double Tomato Bruschetta

Bruschetta are often a bad idea at parties. They can be messy and difficult to eat with in front of people, but I made these for my family for Mother's Day and they were devoured so I think they might be worth it. 

For me, the trick to a good bruschetta is the bread. When the bread is too toasted, that's when it gets difficult to eat. So these ones I worked to not over toast and I think I found the perfect balance to toasty by still soft to easily bite into without it crumbling apart. 

I also used only fresh ingredients for the topping and I think it made all the difference. Our local fruit market sells these huge bags of fresh basil for $1.99 and it really was much better than using dried. This is certainly a keeper!

Ingredients

• 6 tomatoes (most recipes recommend Roma tomatoes because they are less juicy inside, but I used regular tomatoes because they were redder and I simply scooped out the seeds and juices)
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, diced
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• french baguette
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions 

Prep all the ingredients -- dice fresh and sundried tomatoes, garlic and basil.

(I scooped out all the middle of the tomato because you don't want all that extra liquid)

Mix tomatoes, garlic, oil, vinegar, oil, basil and salt and pepper together. Let rest for 15 minutes while flavours blend together.

(this smells amazing!)

Set your oven to broil.

Slice the french stick into 1/4 inch slices. The bigger the angle you cut them on, the bigger the piece will be. (I used one and a half french sticks to get 20 slices, which was the perfect amount for the topping).

Paint each piece of bread with oil on one side and lay flat, oil side up, on a baking sheet and broil for two minutes until getting very lightly toasted.

Remove from oven and top each piece with the tomato mixture and then some mozzarella cheese and put back in oven (still on broil) for five minutes until cheese is melted and bread is toasted but still soft.

Remove from oven and place on platter and serve to a hungry crowd (who are already armed with side plates and napkins!)

Download a printable version of Double Tomato Bruschetta