Five Easy Holiday Appetizers

This is the time of year that no-fuss recipes rule like these Five Easy Holiday Appetizers to make your celebrations festive and stress-free.  I adore nibbles and small plates during the holidays. However, I want simplicity when it comes to prep and cook time in the kitchen. Doesn’t everyone? Tasty food shouldn’t have to take hours so I’ve put together five of my easiest appetizer recipes right here in this post. The first recipe is a Retro Ham and Olive Bite which I first shared a few years ago on Two Purple Couches. Does anyone remember making these for your mom’s parties when you were a kid? I do! I loved making these simple bites and now I make them as a quick appetizer for holiday gatherings.   How easy are these Irish Chips? Simply potato chips baked with bleu cheese and then sprinkled with fresh chopped chives. These will fly off the platter! They definitely don’t last long in my house. And if you’ve got some extra time you can make a quick dip to pair with the chips. Although, I like them just as much without a dip. These are such fun nibbles to pair with cocktails. I’ve always got homemade Strawberry Jalapeño jam in the pantry so it makes an easy Goat Cheese and Jam Crostini. You can find all sorts of pepper jelly, strawberry pepper jam, or even a peach pepper jam in the markets these days. Find one with a bit of heat but still sweet and then pair it with goats cheese and crostini. This makes for the easiest and most delicious starter. Especially if you love goat cheese. I adore everything about these Easy Baked Boudin Balls! Rice and Sausage rolled in breadcrumbs and baked. How easy is that? And they’re a bit hearty so it makes a great starter or a delicious addition to an evening of small plates. I first created this recipe after a visit to Italy with my friends at DaVinci Wine. I adore this simple recipe because it’s just slightly different in flavor and pairs so beautifully with an antipasti platter or cheese tray. I could truly make a meal out of these lovelies. Five Easy Holiday Appetizers just waiting to be made! I’ve listed the recipes below for easy printing and a more fuss-free holiday. I’m not sure if I’ll be back to the blog before Christmas as it’s been the busiest season so far and I’m aching for some quiet, quality time with my crew. That’s what the holidays are all about anyway, right? Spending time with family and friends, connecting, cooking, eating, laughing and basking in this magical season. I wish you the happiest of holidays, much peace, true joy, good health and loads of love. Karista Print Five Easy Holiday Appetizers Category: appetizer Cuisine: American 8-10 Fun and festive holiday appetizers that are simple to make and delicious to eat! Ingredients Retro Ham and Olive Bites 1 - 2 packages of sliced ham 8 ounces cream cheese (or Boursin cheese) 1 or 2 jars Martini olives or green olives with pimento Fun picks or skewers Irish Chips with Blue Cheese and Chives 6 cups of plain thick cut potato chips 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives Strawberry Jalapeno Jam and Goat Cheese Crostini 1 cup Strawberry Jam or Strawberry Jalapeño Jam or your favorite Pepper Jam/Jelly 4-6 ounces goat cheese 1 baguette, sliced Fresh mint for garnish Easy Baked Boudin Balls 1 lb ground pork breakfast sausage, ground mild chorizo or any ground artisan sausage you prefer 2 cups cooked white rice, warm ¼ cup finely diced green onion or chives 1 egg, whisked 1 cup of plain breadcrumbs For the Honey Mustard Sauce: 1 cup yellow or Dijon mustard ¼ cup honey Roasted Grape Crostini Baguette, sliced Olive oil Garlic clove, halved 1-2 cups whole milk ricotta, drained for use; or 8-16 ounces chevre (goat’s milk cheese) 2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves 2-3 cups seedless red grapes Local honey Salt Instructions Retro Ham and Olive Bites Lay the ham slice flat and spread with a thin layer of cream cheese. Then roll tightly, slice in rounds and skewer ham side up with the olive. These can be prepared an hour or so before serving. Keep refrigerated. Irish Chips with Blue Cheese and Chives Heat the oven to 400F. Place the chips in a single layer on a large parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with the blue cheese. Bake the chips for about 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove them from the oven and sprinkle with fresh chives. Let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Strawberry Jalapeno Jam and Goat Cheese Crostini Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake them for about 5-8 minutes or until they're slightly toasted. Remove them from the oven and let them cool just a bit. To assemble, spread some goat cheese on each crostini and then top with a dollop of jam. Garnish with a mint leaf and serve. Easy Baked Boudin Balls Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the bread crumbs in a small bowl. In a large bowl, mix together the ground sausage, white rice and green onions until nicely incorporated. Then mix in the whisked egg. Form tablespoon size balls and then roll them in the breadcrumbs and place them on a lined baking sheet. Bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until they are nicely browned and cooked through. While the Boudin Balls are baking, whisk together the mustard and honey and place in a serving bowl. Let the Boudin Balls cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve with the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce. Roasted Grape Crostini For the crostini: Pre-heat the oven to 400° F. Brush sides of bread slices with olive oil and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the bread is golden brown or toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes. Rub the oiled side of each slice with a half-clove of garlic. For the grapes: Pre-heat the oven to 450° F. Toss grapes with a drizzle of olive oil and thyme leaves. Pour mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Roast grapes until skins blister and juices are released, about 10-15 minutes (leave in longer to create a bit of caramelization. Remove the grapes and let cool. To assemble: Spread the ricotta or chevre on top of each crostini, then top with the grapes. Arrange on a platter, then drizzle with honey. Recipe Management Powered by Zip Recipes Plugin 4.36 https://karistaskitchen.com/2018/12/14/five-easy-holiday-appetizers/     easy holiday appetizersfive easy holiday appetizersfuss-free appetizersfuss-free holiday foodrecipe round upsimple appetizersstress-free entertaining