I love a great appetizer. I would rather have a bite of 10 different foods than commit to one full meal. I change my appetizers up occasionally but as I mentioned on Day 3 that brie is always on the menu! Aside from my love of brie cheese I also love these crowd-pleaser options!
Magic Dip
A couple of years ago I brought this to my sister's house for a girls night and the truth is I didn't actually try it that night. It was gone very quickly and there was more than enough to go around! I went home and saved the recipe, those are the results I love when I make something new!
Photo courtesy of Spendwithpennies.com
Recipe
Ingredients:
8oz Cream Cheese
6oz Sour Cream
4oz Mayo
1 Package of Uncle Dan's Ranch Dressing Mix
1 cup of Tex Mex Shredded Cheese
1/2 Cup of Real Bacon Bits
3 Green Onion Stems - Chopped Finely
Directions:
Cream the first 3 ingredients together in a mixing bowl
Mix in Ranch Dressing Mix
Fold in Shredded Cheese, Bacon Bits & Green Onion
Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops
We've all had a bacon-wrapped scallop but this slight variation is a lovely twist! They are easy and everyone loves them!
Photo courtesy of Adrian Mueller Foodnetwork.com
Recipe
Ingredients:
16 Medium Sized Scallops
8 Slices of Prosciutto
16 Toothpicks
Balsamic Glaze (I love Nonna Pia's Brand)
Directions:
Heat oven to 425 F
Pat scallops dry with a paper towel
Wrap scallops with a layer of prosciutto
Bake for 12-16 minutes or until prosciutto is crisp
Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes
Plate and serve with a drizzle of balsamic glaze
Buffalo Chicken Dip
This classic dip is hearty enough to replace a proper dinner. It has all of the flavours of wings but the creamy deliciousness of a party dip!
Photo Courtesy of The Brown Eyed Baker
Recipe
Ingredients:
8oz Cream Cheese
8oz Sour Cream
1/2 cup Mayo
1 Package of Uncle Dan's Ranch Dressing Mix (or ranch of your choice)
1/2 cup Franks Red Hot
1 cup of Diced Chicken
1 cup of Grated Tex Mex Cheese
Celery
Pretzel Chips
Tortilla Chips
Directions:
Combine cream cheese, sour cream and mayo together
Add ranch mix
Add Franks Red Hot
Fold in Chicken and Cheese
Serve chilled or bake until warm
Serve with celery, pretzel chips and/or tortilla chips
Bacon-Wrapped Goat Cheese, Pecan Stuffed Date
I skipped the bacon on the scallops so I had to add it somewhere! Bacon-wrapped Goat Cheese, Pecan Stuffed Dates are the perfect blend of sweet, salty and creamy. These are always a huge hit and they are very easy to make!
Recipe
Ingredients:
9 Slices of Bacon
18 Medjool Dates
4 Ounces of Goat Cheese
Pecan
Directions:
Heat oven to 375 F
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
Slice the dates the lengthwise but not all the way through
Fill both halves of the date with goat cheese
Place a pecan on one side of the date and close the two sides together
Wrap the date with half of a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick
Place the dates on the baking sheet and bake at 375 F for 10 minutes, flip the dates and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Broil for added crispness.
Serve whole or cut in half for smaller bite-sized pieces
Vegan Nashville Hot Cauliflower Bites
For all of my Vegan loves! I have tried this recipe and it is to-die-for!
Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Head of Cauliflower
Batter Ingredients:
1/3 cup Non-Dairy Milk (such as almond or soy milk)
1 tsp Hot Sauce
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Flour (all-purpose, or use rice flour for gluten-free)
3 tbsp Starch (use cornstarch, arrowroot or potato starch works too)
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Oil
Nashville Hot Chicken Sauce Ingredients:
1 tbsp Oil or Melted Vegan Butter
1/2 tsp Cayenne (use 1/4 tsp for less heat)
1 tsp Black Pepper (use 1//2 tsp for less heat)
1 tsp Maple Syrup
1 tsp Sweet Paprika (use more if omitting cayenne)
2 tbsp Hot Sauce
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Poultry Seasoning (or use sage + onion powder)
1 tbsp Vinegar
1 tbsp Water
Directions:
1. Chop the cauliflower and set aside. Line a baking dish with parchment. Preheat the oven to
425 deg F ( 220 C).
2. Make the batter by whisking all the ingredients under batter. The batter will start to thicken
after half a minute, so work quickly.
3. Add cauliflower florets and toss well to coat. It will take a minute for the thick batter to coat
the florets well. Some uncoated cauliflower edges are ok. Drop on a parchment-lined baking
dish. Spray oil on top. (You can also sprinkle 2-3 tbsp breadcrumbs on the florets in the dish
for extra crispiness).
4. Bake at 425 deg F for 25 mins (35 mins if serving the bites with hot sauce on the side) . In
the meantime, make the Nashville hot sauce mixture in a large bowl. You can double this
sauce easily for larger cauliflower.
5. Remove the dish from the oven and cool for 5 mins. Add the baked cauliflower to the sauce
bowl and gently toss to coat.
6. Drop back into the baking dish and bake for 15 mins or longer at 400 deg F. Serve with
cooling dips such as vegan ranch and some pickles. Or finish in the air fryer for extra
crispness!
I hope you eat all of the delicious food this holiday season! Whether we are able to gather with a small number of people or it's just your immediate families, make all the food and enjoy! In this crazy time, I hope you stay safe and keep as many traditions alive as possible!
See you tomorrow for my Dessert Guide!
XO DS