3 Favorite Party Appetizers
The party planning season is in full swing now. Today, I welcome The Better Mom contributors, April Huard and Abby Miller from Everyday Table, to share some yummy appetizers you can prepare to share at your next holiday gathering, as well as any time of the year. -XO, Ruth
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Hosting a holiday gathering can seem overwhelming when it comes to what to serve, but we’ve narrowed down our three favorite party appetizers that always please a crowd in any setting.
Simple food allows everyone to relax by creating a warm space for good conversation. Whether you’re bringing a dish to a neighborhood football party, hosting a New Year’s gathering, or organizing a simple game night, we recommend you try all three of these party dishes! All that’s left to do is relax and enjoy your company!
Charcuterie Board
A charcuterie board often includes a variety of cheeses, meats, nuts, and fruit. When building your charcuterie board, here are some tips to keep in mind:
1. Choose at least one hard and one soft and/or spreadable cheese. This makes the board more interesting and fun to explore for the guest. Our favorites include goat cheese (spreadable & soft), white cheddar (hard), brie (soft), boursin (spreadable), blue (hard), and parmigiano reggiano (hard). We recommend you choose 3 types of cheese.
2. Add some sliced salami of your choice and some thin prosciutto.
3. For a crunch, add some nuts and a vegetable. Our favorites are marcona almonds and cornichons (adorable little French pickles).
4. For color, add fruit. We love to sprinkle fresh raspberries or dried cherries throughout along with a jam. There are a variety of delicious jams in grocery stores now, but fig jam is probably the most popular for this purpose. Another sweet option is a spreadable honey which pairs so perfectly with blue cheese!
5. Finally, add your choice of cracker or baguette!
Have fun with this, make it your own, and find your favorite flavors!
Stuffed Mushrooms
If you are reading this in email, click HERE to go to the blog to print the recipe cards.
Stuffed Mushrooms
ingredients:
24 oz whole white mushrooms (about 25)
10 oz ground Italian sausage
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cloves minced garlic
1 T dried parsley
8 oz cream cheese
4 T butter, melted
instructions:
Preheat oven to 325.
Clean mushrooms with a damp paper cloth, wiping gently. Pull the stem of the mushroom out and discard, keeping the mushroom intact.
Brown sausage in saucepan over medium heat. Add green onion, garlic, parsley, and cream cheese. Warm until cream cheese is melted.
Brush mushrooms with melted butter. Stuff with sausage mixture, and place in a 9x13 baking dish.
Bake for 30 minutes until browned.
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
ingredients:
2 8oz cans of whole water chestnuts
1/2 lb bacon
1 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
2 T Worchester sauce
Toothpicks
instructions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Drain water chestnuts and set aside.
Cut bacon in half and wrap one piece around each water chestnut. Secure with a toothpick.
Place in shallow baking dish.
In a small saucepan, add ketchup, brown sugar, and Worchester sauce. Heat until a low boil, making sure the brown sugar is completely dissolved.
Pour sauce over water chestnuts, covering each one.
Bake for 45-55 minutes until bacon is cooked through.
Blessings,
April & Abby from everydaytable.org
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