In honor of today’s auspicious date, 11-11-11, I am presenting you with 11 of my favorite appetizers. We are 2 weeks from Thanksgiving, 6 weeks from Christmas and 7 weeks from New Year’s Eve … the holiday crunch is here! With these hors d’oeuvres in your hip pocket, you will sail through the bedlam.
There is a nice variety of options for you to choose from. From rich and creamy stuffed brie wrapped in puff pastry, baked and served warm and potstickers served with a blood orange ponzu sauce, to a sweet potato hummus and fresh crab with mango spring rolls, there is something that everyone will enjoy.
When you are planning your menu, keep in mind the entire evening, from the moment your guests walk in the door to when they leave. Have drinks available to greet them with non-alcoholic options for designated drivers. Light nibbles and finger foods are always good with cocktails. Think of your favorite bar snacks and you will get the idea.
If you will be serving a meal, keep the appetizers very light and don’t serve too many or no one will have room for the food you worked so hard to present. If you are hosting an appetizer-only party, plan to stagger the foods. Have some that will be out for the entire party (safe to sit at room temperature for several hours), a few to start with and then others to replenish when the first round has been eaten.
If you have the room, do like the pros do and pre-plate several servings of the same appetizer for quick swap outs. During the party pass by the buffet area occasionally and tidy up the trays and bowls. Your guests will appreciate it when the food appears to have been freshly served!
If you are serving hot foods, use a chafing dish or crock pot to help keep them warm. If you don’t own a chafer, rental and party shops stock them and they are worth the price so you are not spending the entire party locked in the kitchen turning out hot food!
It is important for food safety to keep cold foods very cold. Buy large bags of ice from the store and drop them on the ground a couple of time to break up any big clumps. Spread out a thick layer in a large, shallow dish and nestle your platter or bowl of cold foods on top of it. Keep an eye on it and replace the ice as needed during the evening.
If you are serving cocktails, it is easier for you to make up a blended drink ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Then present everyone with a glass when the arrive and assign one of your guests as the honorary bartender to keep and eye on things for you.
The more you can have done ahead, the more time you can spend relaxing and enjoying your guests. Everyone will have a wonderful time and you will gain a reputation for being the best hostess in the neighborhood!
Have a wonderful, fun and joyous holiday season. Think of The Heritage Cook when you are looking for cooking ideas. And if you have any questions, please leave a comment below, send me an email or follow me on Facebook and Twitter. I am here to help make this holiday season the best one ever!!
- 2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas (canned is fine, rinse & drain before using)
- Zest of 1 whole organic lemon, juice of 1/2 the lemon
- 3 small sweet potatoes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 to 3 pinches sea salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- Place sweet potatoes (with the skin on) in a baking dish in a 400°F oven and bake until very soft, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on their size. (You can also steam the sweet potatoes, but I find baking them is more flavourful.)
- Let the sweet potatoes cool down so that you can easily remove their skins – they should just peel off. Place them in a food processor with the remaining ingredients and blend on high to mix.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of cracked black pepper, and whatever herbs you have on hand. It is wonderful with raw veggies, healthy crackers, or pita bread. This dip also doubles as an amazing sandwich spread. Will hold in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Don’t get too hung up on the quantities of ingredients with this recipe – it’s hard to make a mistake! Use more or less sweet potato than called for, more or fewer chickpeas if that suits you (or even leave them out!), omit the cayenne or throw in more if you like it spicy. Just work with what you have and what tastes good to you.
- Seasoned Breadcrumbs
- 1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp dried savory
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp dried tarragon
- Artichoke Squares
- 3 (6 oz) jars marinated artichoke hearts in oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/2 cup chopped onion or green onions
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs (from above)
- 1/2 lb sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
- 4 tbsp minced fresh parsley
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp dried oregano
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp Tabasco sauce
- 1 cup finely chopped ham, optional
- Watercress or parsley sprigs for garnish
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9×9-inch baking pan; set aside.
- Make Seasoned Breadcrumbs: Combine all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 1 cup.
- Make Artichoke Squares: Place the oil from 1 jar of the artichokes into a 12-inch skillet, and using moderate heat, gently heat the oil. Sauté the garlic and onion in the oil for 5 minutes and set aside.
- Drain and discard the oil from the remaining artichokes. Chop all the artichoke hearts finely and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs until foamy and blend in the breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Stir in the ham if using. Add the finely chopped artichoke hearts to the egg mixture and stir gently to blend. Add the cooked onion and garlic. Again mix well and spoon into prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool thoroughly before cutting into 2-inch squares.
- Before serving, place squares in a 325°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes to reheat, then place on a warmed serving platter garnished with watercress or parsley sprigs. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Yield: 10 to 12 servings
- 2 lb wheel of Brie, chilled
- 2 large shallots, sliced
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms (ends trimmed & mushrooms wiped clean before slicing)
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup minced scallions
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (Pepperidge Farm is a common brand)
- 1 egg mixed with 2 tsp water [double if you have a lot of decorations]
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Meanwhile, sauté shallots, mushrooms, and garlic in butter over medium heat until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper; cool. Fold in scallions and Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings. Set aside to cool.
- Slice brie in half horizontally to create two layers. Roll one of the thawed sheets of puff pastry to a 14-inch square on a lightly floured surface. Trim it to make a circle. Place bottom half of Brie, rind-side down, in the center of pastry. Spoon filling onto center of cheese and press firmly to compact. Place 2nd layer of Brie on top, rind-side up. Press gently to spread filling out to the edges of cheese. Brush pastry edges with egg wash. Pull pastry up and over, covering Brie as smoothly as you can. Pinch edges to seal, trim any excess dough. Set, seam side down, on a baking sheet.
- Use the second sheet of pastry, rolled slightly, to cut out leaves, mushrooms, or other fun shapes. These decorations can be used to decorate the top of the pastry. Add to the smooth top, “gluing” them with some of the egg wash. Brush the entire surface with additional egg wash. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool for 20 minutes before serving with crackers or baked crostini.
- Yield: 15 to 20 appetizer servings
- Lemon Vinaigrette
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lime
- Juice of 1 orange
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 shallot, peeled and minced
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- Spiced Macadamia Nuts
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tbsp lime zest
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 egg white, whipped until frothy
- 1 tsp powdered ginger
- 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup macadamia nuts
- Spring Rolls
- 1 whole Dungeness crab, cooked, meat removed from shell
- 1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded, and cut lengthwise into 1/4″ by 1/4″ strips
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 (8 oz) package rice vermicelli noodles, cooked, drained and chilled
- 12 leaves butter lettuce, use outer leaves only
- 12 sprigs fresh cilantro
- 12 sheets rice paper (12-inch rounds)
- To Cook
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
- To make the Lemon Vinaigrette, whisk all ingredients together except the oil and shallots. Allow to sit fifteen minutes then strain out the ginger and citrus seeds. Add the shallots and slowly whisk in the oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To make the Spiced Macadamia Nuts, combine all ingredients except the nuts and mix well. Toss the nuts in the spice mixture until well coated then pour onto a greased cookie sheet and bake in hot oven, turning frequently, until toasted golden brown. You can also do this in a skillet on the stove if you prefer. Cool and chop coarsely.
- To make the Spring Rolls, place the noodles on your work surface and cut pile into thirds. Combine the cooked rice noodles with the crabmeat, the chopped herbs, 1⁄2 cup of the spiced macadamia nuts, and 1/4 cup of the lemon vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to assemble rolls.
- When you are ready to assemble the rolls, bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a pot large enough to accommodate the rice wrappers and add 1⁄2 cup rice wine vinegar. Remove the water from the heat and dip the rice wrappers into the hot water until completely softened then lay out flat on a wet work surface.
- Place one leaf of butter lettuce in the bottom center of the wrapper and top with 2 strips of fresh mango. Add 1⁄2 cup of the crab and noodle mixture and 1 sprig each of mint and cilantro. Fold the bottom of the wrapper up over the fillings and then fold the sides in. Last, roll up tightly from the bottom to form the roll. Transfer to a tray or platter.
- Repeat for all twelve rolls. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, slice each roll in half, cutting them on the diagonal. Place one half on the serving plate and prop the other half on the first, cut side up. Garnish the plates with remaining nuts.
- Yield: 12 rolls
- 1 packet unflavored gelatin (see Note)
- 3 tbsp cold water
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- 3 scallions or green onions, minced
- 1 tsp minced fresh garlic, about 2 large cloves
- 1 tsp lemon pepper, or to taste
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 12 to 16 oz flaked crabmeat (fresh if available; or canned, rinsed & drained works well as a substitute)
- Parsley sprigs for garnish
- Lemon slices for garnish
- Dissolve gelatin in water in a small bowl and set aside. Gelatin will expand, absorbing all of the liquid. Lightly oil a 4-cup metal food mold (the kind used for Jell-O molds); set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, heat undiluted soup, stirring until melted and smooth. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Add dissolved gelatin, whisking to incorporate. Add remaining ingredients, except crab and garnishes, stirring to make sure everything is well blended and distributed evenly. Gently fold in crab using a rubber spatula.
- Pour into oiled mold and smooth the top. Cover top with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. Chill at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Keep mousse molded and refrigerated until just before serving. To help the mousse release, dip mold in hot water being careful not to get any water on the mousse, or wrap it with a hot towel for a few seconds. Set your serving plate on top of the mold, hold the two together and quickly flip it upside down. Wiggle the mold gently to help ease the mousse out of it. If it is stubborn, wrap the mold again with a hot towel. If everything else fails, very gently insert a knife between the mousse and the mold, breaking the vacuum seal.
- Garnish platter with parsley and lemon slices and serve mousse with a variety of crackers, thin baguette slices, or crostini.
- Yield: about 15 to 20 appetizer servings
- Unflavored gelatin is found next to the “Jell-O” display. It comes in a small box, which contains individual packets.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 2-1/4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian)
- 3/4 cup polenta
- 1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 oz fresh goat cheese or ricotta, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- Additional thyme leaves for garnish
- Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking dish. Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Whisking constantly, gradually pour the polenta into the stock in a steady stream. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the polenta thickens and easily comes away from the sides of the pot.
- Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the prepared dish, smoothing the top with an off-set spatula. Set aside to cool completely.
- To serve, turn the polenta out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares. Top each square with a small piece of cheese, sprinkle with some thyme leaves, and serve.
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
- Filling
- 1/2 lb ground pork, dark chicken, or finely chopped shrimp
- 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
- 2 tbsp finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tsp ketchup
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Assembly / Cooking
- 35 to 40 small wonton wrappers
- Water, for sealing wontons
- 3 to 4 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
- 1-1/3 cups chicken stock, divided
- Preheat oven to 200°F.
- Combine the filling ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
- To form the dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush 2 of the edges of the wrapper lightly with water. Place rounded 1/2 tsp of the pork mixture in the center of the wrapper. Fold over, seal edges, and shape as desired. Set on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat procedure until all of the filling is used.
- Heat a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat. When hot, brush with vegetable oil. Add 8 to 10 potstickers at a time to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, without touching. Once the 2 minutes are up, gently add 1/3 cup chicken stock to the pan, turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Remove wontons to a heatproof platter and place in the warm oven. Clean the pan in between batches by pouring in water and allowing the pan to deglaze. Repeat until all the wontons are cooked. Serve immediately with Ponzu Sauce.
- Yield: 35 to 40 potstickers
- 1-1/2 lb Yukon Gold or boiling potatoes
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 2-3/4 cups)
- 1 tsp garam masala, Indian spice blend
- 1 tsp cumin seeds or 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp coriander seeds or 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 12 (17- by 12-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen
- 3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- Indian chutney and/or raita, for accompaniment, optional
- Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Put in a medium saucepan with 1 tsp salt and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Simmer until tender, about 15 minutes, then drain in a colander.
- Cook onion, spices, and 3/4 tsp salt in oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add potatoes and peas and cook, stirring, 3 minutes, then remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 375°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- Cover stack of phyllo sheets with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel. Keeping remaining phyllo covered and working quickly, place 1 sheet on work surface. Gently brush with some melted butter, and then lay a second sheet on top and brush with butter. Cut crosswise into 4 strips.
- Put 2 tbsp filling near one corner of 1 strip and fold corner of phyllo over to enclose filling and form a triangle. Continue folding strip, maintaining triangle shape. Put triangle, seam side down, on baking sheet. Make 3 more triangles in same manner.
- Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling. Generously brush both sides of each samosa with butter and bake, turning samosas over halfway through and switching position of sheets, until golden and crisp all over, about 25 minutes total. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Combine all ingredients together in a bowl, cover, and chill to let flavors blend.
- Dough
- 2-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 tsp salt
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup ice water
- 1 tbsp distilled white or red wine vinegar (helps make dough tender, won’t leave any flavor in finished dough)
- Filling
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 small red onion, sliced
- 1/2 small white onion, sliced
- 3 tbsp minced red bell peppers
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup quartered or roughly chopped mushrooms (crimini or shiitake are good choices)
- 2 cups cooked pork, shredded (use leftover pork roast)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 to 3 tsp Jerk seasoning, or to taste (this can be very hot depending on mixture)
- Make Dough: Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.
- In a small bowl, beat together egg, water, and vinegar with a fork or whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until just incorporated. (Mixture will look shaggy.)
- Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into a flat rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 2 to 3 hours.
- When ready to make empanadas, let warm up on counter for a few minutes before dividing dough and rolling as directed above.
- Make Filling: Place sweet potato cubes on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F until soft. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Heat oil and butter in a large skillet. Saute onions and bell peppers until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and mushrooms and cook another 2 minutes. Stir in pork, cinnamon, and Jerk seasoning. Cook until heated through. Gently stir in sweet potatoes. Taste and add salt if needed. Cool slightly before filling pastries and cooking as directed.
- Form Empanadas: Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
- Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and form each into a disk. Working with one piece at a time and keeping remaining pieces covered, roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 5 to 6 inch round (about 1/8 inch thick).
- Spoon about 2 tbsp filling onto center, brush edges with a little egg wash, and fold dough in half, enclosing filling and creating a crescent shape. Press edges together to seal, then crimp decoratively with your fingers or press with the tines of a fork. Transfer empanada to a baking sheet. Make remaining empanadas in same manner, arranging on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake Empanadas: Lightly brush empanadas with some of egg wash and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets and spinning them front to back halfway through baking, until golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer empanadas to a rack to cool at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Yield: Makes enough for 12 pastries
- Meatballs
- 3 slices of white bread, crusts removed, and torn into pieces
- 3/4 cup slightly warmed milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 lb ground dark turkey
- 3/4 lb ground pork (not seasoned sausage)
- 1/2 onion, peeled and grated
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 cup minced carrots
- 1/2 cup minced celery
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Sauce
- 1 cup catsup
- 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp packed brown sugar or honey
- 4 tsp white vinegar
- 4 tsp soy sauce
- In a bowl, soften bread slices in milk; stir in beaten egg. Set aside. In a pie plate or other flat container place flour. Season to taste with a little salt, pepper, and the onion powder. Set aside.
- In another bowl mix meats together, and then add onions, garlic, herbs, vegetables, and salt and pepper to taste. With your hands, combine meats with milk mixture. Form into balls about the size of a walnut (a spring-loaded ice cream scoop makes this really easy). Roll each meatball in the seasoned flour and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat oil. Working in batches, brown meatballs on all sides. Pour off fat. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in a very low oven, about 170°F.
- To the same skillet add sauce ingredients, whisking until smooth. Simmer 30 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors and thicken slightly.
- Return meatballs to the saucepan and toss with the sauce until evenly covered and warmed through. Serve meatballs with the sauce over noodles or rice.
- Yield: about 6 servings
Thank You!
Jeanette
Wow, what an impressive collection of favorite appetizers! Just in time for the holidays.
Jane Bonacci, The Heritage Cook
Hi Jeanette,
I hope everyone can find something they like in this collection … I love them all! BTW, I love your Cranberry Ginger Upside-Down Cake and will be adding it to my must make file!!