What are you serving for appetizers over the holidays?

[mom0299]

We always have a dinner of appetizers on Christmas Eve when we come home from the candlelight service at church. This year we are having:

Cheese ball and crackers
Various cookies
Small ham biscuits
Artichoke dip (I don't put spinach in mine - just one can of artichoke hearts cut up, 1 cup of mayo, and 1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese - mix together and bake at 350* for 30 min)
Hickory Farms sausage and cheese
Eggnog and hot cider
Li'l Smokies in grape jelly (I know it sounds a little odd, but you put a package of Li'l Smokies in a crock pot and pour a jar of grape jelly over it. Cook until jelly is melted and smokies are hot)
I'm sure we'll have more. I just don't know what yet. Keep the ideas coming.

And I'm going to have to make the pickle/ham/cream cheese bites. Those look great!

 

[jme829]

For my work party next week I am making Caprese salad kabobs and Antipasto kabobs...both from Taste of Home.

Caprese-on a skewer, thread mozzarella balls/pearls, grape tomatos and basil, drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Antipasto- cook, drain and cool a bag of cheese tortellini, then marinate in italian dressing (4hours-overnight) along with large/jumbo ripe pitted olives and/or green stuffed olives then thread on skewers with mozzarella balls/pearls, grape tomatoes, hard salami and fresh parsley.

Easy and yummy (the Caprese are very festive looking too since its all red, green and white!)

 

[jme829]

Chicken-Bacon Poppers
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 lb. sliced bacon
• 2 TB. BBQ 3000
• 1/2 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a flat roasting rack with non-stick cooking spray, place on a foil-covered roasting or broiling pan and set aside. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice into thirds. It is easiest to do this before you separate the bacon into slices. Wrap a piece of bacon around each chicken cube and secure with a wooden toothpick. Combine the BBQ 3000 with the brown sugar. Drop each meat skewer into the mixture and toss gently with your fingers until completely coated. Arrange the poppers on the rack and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the topping browned.

Prep. time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
Yield: 45-48 pieces

This is from Penzey's Spices. The BBQ 3000 is one of their blends. It's a mild BBQ flavor, use more if you want more 'zip' to your poppers. http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysBBQ3000.html for info of what is in the blend if you can't get to a Penzey's or order online. Browse their recipes while you are there, most of the are very, very good.

Hmmm I may have to give this a try...I have some Penzeys BBQ 3000 up in my cupboard that I haven't opened yet. This looks like a good excuse to do so!

 

[Glynis]

I hope you get a lot of good ideas, my wife 'n I decided we're havin' nothin' but appetizers for Christmas day, although if it's nice 'n cold we might also have a good homemade soup.

I take good sized dill pickles, cover 'em in cream cheese then wrap 'em in thinly sliced smoked turkey or honey ham 'n slice 'em.

I love these!!! One of my favorite things!

 

[Robinrs]

Oh yeah, that sounds really good, thanks for postin' that!



Love those TGIF green beans. We have trouble findin' those, but when we do we buy several packages.

I'm gonna take some chicken tenders 'n beat 'em flat, put some cream cheese on 'em with a li'l jalapeno 'n then roll 'em with a piece of bacon 'n bake 'em. And I like to take shrimp soaked with either teriyaki or soy 'n some pineapple 'n roll them in bacon 'n bake 'em.

I can't hardly wait for Christmas!

Publix sells them here. Had a buy one get one free sale a couple of weeks ago and I wiped them OUT! Got the sliders, boneless chicken bites and the green beans. Cheap and good!

 

[Glynis]

We are doing this as well. I have to make a huge Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve for my MIL and her new hubby. So, I don't want to do it 2 days in a row.

We are doing some store bought stuff the kids like, but I hardly ever buy. Along with those I'll make some deviled eggs, clam dip, Chex mix, and Pioneer Woman's Holiday Bacon appetizers. Here's the link: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/flashback_1981_-_holiday_bacon_appetizers/

These are my favorites! No skill involved, and they taste so good! I've made them sweet and savory, and I'll do the same this year!

 

[Goofyluver]

We are doing this as well. I have to make a huge Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve for my MIL and her new hubby. So, I don't want to do it 2 days in a row.

We are doing some store bought stuff the kids like, but I hardly ever buy. Along with those I'll make some deviled eggs, clam dip, Chex mix, and Pioneer Woman's Holiday Bacon appetizers. Here's the link: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/flashback_1981_-_holiday_bacon_appetizers/

These are my favorites! No skill involved, and they taste so good! I've made them sweet and savory, and I'll do the same this year!

Okay, what's the difference between sweet and savory?

And they require 2 hours baking time!!! How do you wait that long???

I have a feeling we'll be adding these to the list...

 

[Glynis]

Okay, what's the difference between sweet and savory?

And they require 2 hours baking time!!! How do you wait that long???

I have a feeling we'll be adding these to the list...

To make them sweet, substitute brown sugar for the parmesan cheese. Oh, and don't get fancy and use shredded parmesan... use the powdery stuff. Seriously!

Distract yourself for the 2 hours. I promise the wait is totally worth it!

 

[Goofyluver]

To make them sweet, substitute brown sugar for the parmesan cheese. Oh, and don't get fancy and use shredded parmesan... use the powdery stuff. Seriously!

Distract yourself for the 2 hours. I promise the wait is totally worth it!

Thanks, darlin'! I pinned it, which in pinterest talk means these are on the list.

 

[Uncle Remus]

Publix sells them here. Had a buy one get one free sale a couple of weeks ago and I wiped them OUT! Got the sliders, boneless chicken bites and the green beans. Cheap and good!

Well, no wonder I can't find 'em, you've got 'em all!

We are doing this as well. I have to make a huge Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve for my MIL and her new hubby. So, I don't want to do it 2 days in a row.

We are doing some store bought stuff the kids like, but I hardly ever buy. Along with those I'll make some deviled eggs, clam dip, Chex mix, and Pioneer Woman's Holiday Bacon appetizers. Here's the link: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/flashback_1981_-_holiday_bacon_appetizers/

These are my favorites! No skill involved, and they taste so good! I've made them sweet and savory, and I'll do the same this year!

I'm beginnin' to think we should do appetizers Christmas Eve too!

 

[Glynis]

Well, no wonder I can't find 'em, you've got 'em all!



I'm beginnin' to think we should do appetizers Christmas Eve too!

Don't forget New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, as well! We might just as well do all appetizers all the time.

Oh, and Jen, I got the pinterest reference! I just looked at your cookie brittle pin. Any good?

 

[Goofyluver]

Don't forget New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, as well! We might just as well do all appetizers all the time.

Oh, and Jen, I got the pinterest reference! I just looked at your cookie brittle pin. Any good?

I'll tell you tomorrow. I'm making it tomorrow night for my office snack day on Friday. I thought it sounded easy and yummy.

 

[OceanAnnie]

We are doing this as well. I have to make a huge Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve for my MIL and her new hubby. So, I don't want to do it 2 days in a row.

We are doing some store bought stuff the kids like, but I hardly ever buy. Along with those I'll make some deviled eggs, clam dip, Chex mix, and Pioneer Woman's Holiday Bacon appetizers. Here's the link: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/flashback_1981_-_holiday_bacon_appetizers/

These are my favorites! No skill involved, and they taste so good! I've made them sweet and savory, and I'll do the same this year!

I am making these! Three ingredients?! That's my kind of recipe. And they look delicious. I think the kids would like to help me make these.

Thanks Glynis!

 

[Chelley00]

We always do appetizers for Christmas with my side of the family (DH's family is always the big ham dinner) We like not having to slave over a big dinner and then clean up. Plus, most of the crockpot appetizers we can leave out all day if people want to pick at stuff.


This year's menu
meatballs/BBQ sauce
buffalo chicken dip (with boiled chicken...never canned)
cheeseball
cauliflower overnight salad (not an appetizer, but a requested yearly staple)
shrimp cocktail
veggie tray/homemade dill dip
spinach dip
deviled eggs
Pioneer Woman cheddar puffs
Pionner Woman stuffed mushrooms

For dessert we set out cookie trays, a cheesecake and this cherry "flop" stuff that my mom loves.

I may do the Velveeta chili cheese dip stuff too. My kids love it, but it's such a pain in the behind to clean out of the crockpot.

 

[Uncle Remus]

Don't forget New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, as well! We might just as well do all appetizers all the time.

Oh, and Jen, I got the pinterest reference! I just looked at your cookie brittle pin. Any good?

Oh yeah, oh yeah!!

 

[Uncle Remus]

We always do appetizers for Christmas with my side of the family (DH's family is always the big ham dinner) We like not having to slave over a big dinner and then clean up. Plus, most of the crockpot appetizers we can leave out all day if people want to pick at stuff.


This year's menu
meatballs/BBQ sauce
buffalo chicken dip (with boiled chicken...never canned)
cheeseball
cauliflower overnight salad (not an appetizer, but a requested yearly staple)
shrimp cocktail
veggie tray/homemade dill dip
spinach dip
deviled eggs
Pioneer Woman cheddar puffs
Pionner Woman stuffed mushrooms

For dessert we set out cookie trays, a cheesecake and this cherry "flop" stuff that my mom loves.

I may do the Velveeta chili cheese dip stuff too. My kids love it, but it's such a pain in the behind to clean out of the crockpot.

Can ya tell us a li'l more about your cauliflower overnight salad?

 

[Tozzie]

I have two recipes that are easy and good

Chicken wings,

Package of chicken wings
1 bottle of soy sauce
1 cup of vegtable oil
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

If you get the family pack of wings get the the larger bottle of soy sauce


Wash the wings, place them in a ziplock bag, add the soy sauce, oil and mustard close the bag and refrigerate to let marinate, overnight is ideal but a few hours marinating is fine. After they marinate, place the contents of the ziplock into a baking pan and bake for 45-1 hour at 375 remove from oven place on a dish and serve, The great thing is they may be served cold or hot and taste great either way.

Bacon wrapped water chestnuts

1 package of bacon
1 can of water chestnuts
cookie sheet
toothpick

Cut the bacon in half then take a half of a slice wrap it around the water chestnut stick a toothpick in it and place on cookie sheet when you are done bake in the oven for approx 45 minutes a 350. Watch them because ovens vary and they may take a bit longer or a bit less time depending on your oven.

 

[Chelley00]

Can ya tell us a li'l more about your cauliflower overnight salad?

Tear a head of lettuce into bite size pieces and put in bowl with lid
Cook, drain and then crumble 1 lb bacon over lettuce
Dice 1 small onion (I usually cheat and rehydrate minced onions in water)

In another bowl mix
2 cups Hellmans mayo
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Spread mayo mixture over top of lettuce mixture. Seal lid tightly and refrigerate overnight. The mixture must marinate overnight. Stir well before serving.

 

[Sorsha]

When I walked in the door today, my wife told me I had to look at this thread.

The artichoke-Sausage bites look divine!!! Who posted that? Thank you to whomever that was!

Hi! That was me. I have never tried them, but they sure look good!

 

[emer95]

You MUST make these... you just must!!!

mini phyllo cups
gingersnap cookies, broken up into little pieces
Brie cheese, cut into chunks
hot pepper jelly

Layer the last 3 ingredients into the mini phyllo cups. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes. People will go crazy for them. The jewel tone color of the pepper jelly looks so pretty. And they are totally addicting and delicious. Everyone will ask you for the recipe. They're spectacular.