‘Twas two weeks ’til Christmas and all through the land, spirits were high and parties were being planned.
Bad poetry aside, chances are you have a gathering ahead. It may be a company do, a neighborhood open house, or a more intimate evening with friends or family. Whether you’re hosting or simply contributing one goodie to the spread, the holidays inspire us to try to make it special.
I have two occasions ahead I need to take something to; that sent me searching for some festive appetizers. Here are a few that look promising. I’m not the biggest fan of guacamole, but it’s hard to resist the visual appeal of guacamole Christmas trees from tasteofhome.com. Think of it as a Tex Mex spin on the holiday. And it can start with store-bought dough, something else in its favor during this time-crunched month.
Cranberry and baked Brie bites are one of the prettiest appetizers we could serve up, in my opinion. Ready-made filo shells jump-start the recipe. Making the cranberry mixture is the most work you’ll do here, but even so, it’s not labor intensive. These are best suited for entertaining at home; they should be served immediately.
The ubiquitous cheese ball takes on more panache when it’s presented as a holiday wreath. Use a small Bundt pan to form the wreath shape. Fresh parsley gives it the green; finely chopped peppers the red. (You could fashion a “bow” of sliced bell pepper to add as well.) If desired, sprinkle toasted sliced almonds on the wreath.
Do you have a favorite recipe you always make at Christmastime? We’d really like to know. If you’re willing to share, please email it to [email protected].
FESTIVE GUACAMOLE CHRISTMAS TREES
2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated seamless crescent dough sheet
1-1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning, divided
20 pretzel sticks, broken in half
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup guacamole
2 medium sweet yellow peppers
1 medium sweet red pepper
1 medium green pepper
Chopped fresh cilantro, optional
(Source: tasteofhome.com, originally published as Guacamole Appetizer Squares in Best Holiday Recipes 2015)
CRANBERRY AND BAKED BRIE BITES
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes 15 Brie bites
1 (15-count) package frozen mini fillo shells
3 ounces Brie, cut into 15 evenly-sized cubes
1 batch cranberry sauce (see below)
Fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
For the cranberry sauce:
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) fresh cranberries
1/4 cup Bota Box red wine*
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, or your desired type/amount of sweetener
* To make without alcohol, substitute water or orange juice for red wine.
(Source: gimmesomeoven.com)
HOLIDAY CHEESE BALL WREATH
Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes (15 active)
Makes 16-20 servings
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups shredded firm cheese, such as cheddar, pepper Jack or colby
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pickled piquante peppers, such as Peppadews, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
Crackers, sliced bread or crudites, for serving
(Source: foodnetwork.com/Television Food Network)
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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