Add variety to the holiday table with appetizers

 

There are plenty of options for anyone planning a New Year’s Eve party.

You can hold an elegant sit-down dinner or a more relaxing game night complete with casual fare. You can host a sports-themed event to reflect the bowl games, incorporating the team colors and foods ideal for a tailgate party.

But a party built around a menu of appetizers can look amazingly complex, offer a variety of foods for every appetite and be simple to prepare.

Some foods can be whipped up ahead of time. Make a roast and slice it as guests arrive, setting it out with a variety of breads, cheeses, toppings and sauces.

Individual servings of a traditional food, such as macaroni and cheese, glammed up with more luxurious ingredients like lobster, give the impression of the host slaving over the stove for hours.

Try fries with a dipping sauce, but instead of russet potatoes perhaps use a sweet potato for a modern touch.

Or make a platter or two of stuffed pastries using prepared puff pastry. This technique can be used to turn everyday ingredients into something special.

You can opt to go healthy if you desire. Make your own chips by slicing unpeeled Yukon gold or red potatoes into thin rounds, then tossing them with extra virgin olive oil and salt to coat evenly. Coat a large microwave-proof plate with cooking spray and arrange some potato slices in a single layer on the plate. 

Microwave them, uncovered, on high for a couple minutes, until some slices start to brown. Turn the slices over and continue microwaving until they start to crisp and brown around the edges. Check them  frequently and rearrange slices as needed to prevent scorching. Transfer the chips to another plate and allow to cool completely. They will crisp more as they cool. Repeat with the remaining potato slices.

And don’t forget a bit of sweetness to round off all the savory flavors. Homemade truffles, small ice cream sandwiches made with your favorite flavors of cookies and ice cream or a liquor-infused treat are possibilities.

Following are some holiday appetizer recipes from www.iamafoodblog.com and www.tasteandtellblog.com.

 

 

Mini Ham and Cheese Croque Monsieur Puff Pastry Tarts

1-1/2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1 to 2 tablespoons sweet yellow mustard or spicy yellow mustard

Salt 

Pepper

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

12 to 16 thin slices ham

1 cup shredded gruyère

1 egg, lightly beaten with a splash of water

Fresh thyme sprigs, if desired

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly for three minutes, until smooth and incorporated. Pour in the milk in a thin stream while whisking. Cook over medium heat, whisking, five to 10 minutes, until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in mustard, taste and season with salt and pepper.

Use a round cookie cutter to cut out two-inch rounds of puff pastry. Use a smaller cookie cutter to score a circle inside each round without cutting down all the way through. Gently poke the center hole with a fork to dock.

Top each round with a bit of mustard béchamel, a bit of ham and shredded cheese. Top with a sprinkle of fresh pepper.

Use a pastry brush to brush the rounds with an egg that’s been lightly beaten with a splash of water. Bake in a 425-degree oven for 15 minutes, until golden and puffy. Enjoy hot with extra mustard and fresh thyme sprigs, if desired.

 

 

Jalapeno Bacon Puff Pastry Cheese Twist

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup shredded cheddar Jack cheese

1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

6 slices bacon, cut in half the long way

Salt 

Freshly ground pepper

Soft boiled eggs, optional

Lay out puff pastry on a cutting board. Brush pastry with egg and top with cheese and jalapeños. Carefully fold pastry in half and press down firmly but gently to seal. Cut into 12 even strips. Take a slice of bacon and one of the cheese twists, twist them together and place on a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake in a 375-degree oven 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and bacon is cooked through. Remove and let cool slightly before enjoying

 

 

One Bite Mini-Lasagna Roll Ups

1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

Cooked lasagna noodles

1 to 2 cups bolognese or marinara sauce

1 cup bechamel sauce

1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan

Finely chopped flat leaf parsley, optional

For bechamel sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

To make sauce, melt butter in a small saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly one to three minutes, until smooth and incorporated. Add milk in a thin stream while whisking until mixture is smooth. Cook on medium heat five to eight minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. 

Sprinkle a bit of cheese into the bottoms of a nonstick mini-muffin tray. 

Cut noodles into one-inch strips that are four to five inches long. Spread noodles with a bit of bolognese, then bechamel, then a light sprinkling of Parmesan. Roll tightly, then pop into the cups of the mini muffin tin. Repeat until all of your sauce and noodles are finished. Top generously with shredded mozzarella and whatever Parmesan you might have left.

Bake in a 375-degree oven for 30 minutes, until cheese is golden and toasty. Let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, then use a plastic offset spatula to remove. Top with flat leaf parsley, if desired, and serve.

 

 

Mini Baked Jalapeno Spinach Dip

Oil

2 tablespoons diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

3 cups fresh spinach

2 tablespoons cream cheese

2 tablespoons sour cream

1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1 small jalapeño, diced

Salt 

Pepper

3 mini rolls, hollowed out

Pita chips, crackers or sliced baguettes

In a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until slightly browned. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Cool slightly, squeeze, drain and set aside. 

In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, half the cheese and the jalapeño. Stir in spinach. Taste and season with salt and pepper. You can put the dip into a oven-proof container, top it with the remaining cheese, wrap it and refrigerate for later or bake it off in some rolls. 

If using immediately, scoop the filling into the rolls and top with remaining cheese. Bake on a lined baking sheet in a 425-degree oven 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is melted, bubbly and golden brown. Serve with pita chips, crackers or sliced baguettes.

 

 

Mini Beef Wellington

1 tablespoon butter

1 pound mushrooms, finely chopped

2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 pound beef tenderloin or filet, cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes

1 tablespoon neutral oil

Salt 

Freshly ground pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

6 slices Prosciutto di Parma

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed

1 egg yolk , lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Melt butter over medium low heat. Add mushrooms and thyme and cook five minutes without stirring. Stir and continue cooking until moisture has cooked out and mushrooms resemble a smooth paste. Season with salt and pepper, remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Pat filet cubes dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a cast iron pan over very high heat and sear all sides of the cubes. Remove from the pan and let rest.

Use a pastry brush to brush a generous amount of Dijon on all sides of the filets.

On a piece of plastic wrap, lay a slice of prosciutto, then spread with a thin layer of mushrooms. Place a cube of filet in the center and wrap prosciutto around it. Wrap tightly with the plastic, making sure it holds together. Chill in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Cut puff pastry into strips the width of the filet packages. Unwrap filet cubes and place each one on a strip of puff pastry, then bring dough together. Use another piece of puff pastry, placed in the opposite direction, and bring together to encase the beef. Use a bit of water to stick pastry together.

Place Wellingtons, seam side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg yolk wash. Using the back of a knife, lightly score in a leaf pattern and sprinkle with a bit of coarse salt.

Bake in a 400-degree oven 10 minutes, rotate the pan and increase heat to 450 degrees. Bake 10 minutes, until golden and puffy. Let rest, then serve.

 

 

Spicy Salmon and Corn Cakes with Mango Tartar Sauce

1 cup peeled, diced mango

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped

Pinch of salt

Pepper

For salmon cakes:

1 14.5-ounce can boneless pink salmon, drained

1 cup panko

2 eggs, slightly beaten

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped red onion

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper

Cornmeal

1/3 cup vegetable oil for frying

To make tartar sauce, mix mango, mayonnaise, capers, salt and pepper together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Put salmon in a bowl and break it up with a fork. Add panko, eggs, parsley, onion, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and mix to combine. Form mixture into 12 patties, then coat in cornmeal.

Heat 1/4-inch oil in the bottom of a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place four to five cakes in the pan and cook three to four minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Serve immediately with tartar sauce.

 

 

Homemade Tater Tots

3 cups leftover mashed potatoes, cold

2 large eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Salt

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Neutral cooking oil, for frying

In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, eggs and flour. Season to taste with salt. Stir to combine.

Place panko in a bowl. Drop about a tablespoon of the potato mixture into the crumbs and roll to coat. Use hands to shape into a tater tot. Place on a plate or baking sheet. Continue with remaining potatoes.

Heat an inch of oil in a heavy duty skillet over medium heat to 350 degrees. Place tots in the hot oil in batches, cooking until they are golden brown, flipping often. Place on a paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle with coarse salt.

Continue until all of the tater tots have been cooked.

 

 

Chicken Curry Bites

12 wonton wrappers, cut into quarters

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2-1/2 cups shredded chicken

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain yogurt

1/4 cup mango chutney

3 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1-1/2 teaspoons green curry paste

Salt

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Place wonton wrappers on a work surface and brush one side with oil. Place in the bottoms of cups in a miniature muffin tin, oiled side up. Bake in a 350-degree oven five to seven minutes, until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool completely.

In a bowl, mix chicken, yogurt, mango chutney, peanut butter, lime juice, curry paste and salt. Fill each wonton cup with chicken mixture and garnish with green onions.

Cups can be baked three days in advance and stored in an airtight container. The chicken mixture can be made one day in advance. 

 

 

Bacon and Cream Cheese Crescent Appetizer 

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon milk

2 8-ounce cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 tablespoon butter, melted

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, bacon, Parmesan cheese, onion, parsley and milk.

Open one can of dough and separate the dough into four rectangles. Firmly press the perforations together to seal. Spread each rectangle with two rounded tablespoons cream cheese mixture. Cut each rectangle into six triangles using a pizza cutter. Roll the triangles, starting with the short end then tucking the two long ends in.

Place on a lined baking sheet. Continue with the second can of crescent rolls.

Brush the tops of each roll with butter, then sprinkle poppy seeds on top. Bake in a 375-degree oven 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.

 

 

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 to 3 green onions, chopped

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

8 ounces crab meat

Salt 

24 ounces fresh mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in Parmesan cheese, green onions, parsley, Old Bay  and black pepper. Gently mix in crab. Taste, adding salt as needed.

Fill each mushroom cap with some of the filling and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese.

Bake in a 350-degree oven 20 to 40 minutes, until mushrooms are soft and filling is heated through. Serve hot.

 

 

Brown Sugar Sriracha Bacon Bites

1/4 cup Sriracha chili sauce

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

10 thick-cut bacon slices, each cut into 4 pieces

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Combine Sriracha and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add bacon and stir to coat  Place bacon pieces in a single layer on a cooking rack atop two baking sheets lined with foil and coated with nonstick spray.

Bake in a 325-degree oven 30 to 45 minutes, until almost crisp. During the last five  minutes, sprinkle sesame seeds evenly over the bacon.

Cool for five to eight minutes, moving the pieces every couple minutes to prevent them from sticking to the rack.

The bacon will crisp more as it cools.

 

 

Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos

16 ounces sausage

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

1/4 teaspoon ground sage

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 pound jalapeños, halved and seeded

Place sausage in a medium skillet and cook until browned, breaking it up as you cook it.  Drain, if necessary.

Place cream cheese and  Parmesan in a medium bowl.  Add sausage and mix to combine.  Stir in parsley, sage and red pepper flakes.

Fill each jalapeño half with some of the sausage mixture, then place on a baking dish.  Bake in a 400-degree oven 30 minutes, until lightly browned.

 

 

Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip

18 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained

28 ounces quartered artichoke hearts, drained

16 ounces cream cheese,t room temperature

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup milk

Black pepper

In a four-quart slow cooker, combine spinach, artichoke hearts, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic and milk. Carefully stir to combine. Season with pepper.

Place lid on the slow cooker and cook on high two hours, until all the cheeses are melted. Stir to ensure all the ingredients are combined.

Serve with chips, crackers, or sliced baguette.