One of the best things about the holiday season is all the delicious food that comes with it. Any food can be holiday themed by adding some extra sugar and frosting, but a creative dish takes a little more brain power. Check out the recipes below if you want to serve the best appetizer at your upcoming Christmas party.
Christmas Charcuterie Board
While you may think a charcuterie board is basic, you can never go wrong with a plate full of meat and cheese. However, my Christmas charcuterie board is a much more festive take on the classic.
Ingredients:
- 1 pkg Italian dry salami
- 1 pkg prosciutto
- 1 pkg soppressata salami
- 1 Boursin cheese, garlic and fine herb
- 1 log honey goat cheese
- 1 round of brie
- 1 pkg fig and olive crisps
- 14 crostinis, or 1 baguette
- 1 pkg water crackers
- 2 cups red grapes
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- ½ lb peppermint bark
- 12 chocolate turtle clusters
- Sea salt
- Olive oil
Instructions:
- Supermarkets usually sell crostini in their bakery section, but if you prefer to make them at home it’s pretty simple. Have a baguette, salt and olive oil handy, and slice bread about ½ inch thick. Brush each piece of bread with olive oil and place in the oven for about 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the bread is crispy, sprinkle with salt and enjoy.
- I typically use my round acacia wooden serving tray, but you can also use any large serving platter. Fill two small bowls with a handful of peppermint bark and chocolate turtles. Place the cheese and small bowls in the middle of the platter, leave space in between each of them. Brie should be the most centered since it’s the biggest.
- Grab the meat and place each of them alongside the cheese, so that each group of meat lays in and around the cheeses. Next, fill any open spaces around the bowls with crackers. Any remaining room should be filled in with fruit. I usually start by placing small handfuls of each fruit and refill when needed. Once the platter is filled, it’s ready to serve.
Cheesy biscuit balls
This dish takes no longer than 20 minutes to make and includes the most addictive combination of ingredients: ...melted butter, bread and cheese.
Ingredients:
- 2 containers refrigerated biscuit dough
- ¼ stick of butter, melted
- 8 oz block of mozzarella cheese, or 1 pack of mozzarella pearls
- 1 ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1 can marinara sauce
Instructions:
- Let the dough sit out for a couple of hours until it's room temperature, then tear each of them into 8 pieces.
- Cut mozzarella block into small cubes or take one to three mozzarella pearls and place into the center of the biscuit dough. Wrap the dough around the mozzarella and shape into a ball.
- Place into air fryer for 7-9 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Melt the butter and combine with the garlic and parsley. Once the biscuit balls are done, brush the mixture all over each biscuit. Warm up a small bowl of marinara sauce in the microwave for about 30-35 seconds. Once it’s ready, start to dip and serve.
Whipped ricotta with herbs and honey
This dish takes just 10 minutes to prepare. It’s the perfect appetizer to make when you’re running late, but still need a delectable dish.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
- 1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 teaspoons honey
- 1-2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk ricotta cheese with a hand mixer for 2 minutes. Once the ricotta is smooth and creamy, place into a serving bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the mint, parsley, lemon zest, olive oil, honey and salt.
- Pour the mixture on top of the whipped ricotta. Sprinkle the pepper on top, and drizzle some more olive oil on top if you’d like. This can be served with toasted baguette slices or vegetables. Basically, any dipping food that is available in your fridge.
