Appetizers for the festive season!

[kammy]

The festive seasons are almost here which means a lot of us will be spending most of our time in the kitchen preparing mouth watering dishes for our loved ones...i am shopping around for new and creative ideas when it comes to appetizers as i want something different on the menu this year.I was thinking of doing some lasagna cupcakes. Anyone has any creative dishes that they wish to share?

 

[JessiFox]

Ohh those sound cute and unique! I'm still shopping around for some new ideas as well , I'm not sure just yet if we're going to be having a theme of some sort or not, so I don't know yet...still some last minute details for us to sort out. I may just keep it simple this year.

 

[Tina Nord]

I am getting ready to make a whole bunch of Christmas cookies this year, but I want to try some new recipes. I am tired of the same old sugar cookies and gingerbread. This year my family will be in for quite the surprise, even though I have no clue what I am going to make yet.

 

[JessiFox]

I am getting ready to make a whole bunch of Christmas cookies this year, but I want to try some new recipes. I am tired of the same old sugar cookies and gingerbread. This year my family will be in for quite the surprise, even though I have no clue what I am going to make yet.

Haha, that's how I'm feeling right now as well, same strategy. At this point it will be a surprise even for me we'll have to share recipes afterwards.

 

[kammy]

It seems to me like we are all sailing in the same boat....we all need some new creative ideas...i am going to get started and do some research and hopefully i'll find some tasty treats that we can all enjoy.

 

[DancingLady]

I have never been a big appetizer person, but I do like to serve a veggie plate that looks really nice. I just use a traditional spinach dip as that is my favorite. It helps people make healthier choices I think if they have a few veggies to munch on before being served a big meal.

 

[Tina Nord]

Jessifox, let me know what you find and I will do the same. I plan to make some Chai tea shortbread, but that is all I have on the list so far. I am also going to make some chocolate cookies with crushed up candycane.

 

[kammy]

Well i just saw this appetizer and thought it was so simple yet very creative...i know i'll be adding this to my Christmas menu.


Cream Cheese Penguins

Original recipe makes 18 penguins Change Servings

• 18 jumbo black olives, pitted
  
  
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  

• 18 small black olives
  
  
• 1 carrot
  

Directions

1. Cut a slit from top to bottom, lengthwise, into the side of each jumbo olive. Carefully insert about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese into each olive. Slice the carrot into eighteen 1/4 inch thick rounds; cut a small notch out of each carrot slice to form feet. Save the cut out piece and press into center of small olive to form the beak. If necessary cut a small slit into each olive before inserting the beak.
2. Set a big olive, large hole side down, onto a carrot slice. Then, set a small olive onto the large olive, adjusting so that the beak, cream cheese chest and notch in the carrot slice line up. Secure with a toothpick.

 

[kammy]

This is another appetizer that i found online; any recipe that has shrimp incorporated have me lusting which means this recipe is definitely in.

Phyllo Turnovers with Shrimp and Riccota filling

Original recipe makes 15 servingsChange Servings

• 3 tablespoons butter
  
  
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
  
  
• 1/3 cup chopped celery stalk
  
  
• 1/3 cup chopped green pepper
  
  
• 2/3 cup chopped green onions
  
  
• 2 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco
  
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  
  
• 1 pound large shrimp - peeled, deveined and chopped
  
  
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  
  
• 1/3 cup milk
  
  
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen phyllo dough, thawed
  
  
• 1/2 cup butter
  

Directions

1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the canola oil. Stir in the celery and peppers; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the green onions, hot sauce, and salt; cook and stir until onions are wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir the flour, shrimp, ricotta cheese, and milk into the pepper mixture; cook and stir until the shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
3. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and keep warm. Stack two sheets of phyllo on top of each other, and cut into 3 strips about 3 inches by 12 inches. Brush the top of each strip with melted butter, and place a teaspoon of the shrimp mixture at one end. Fold phyllo dough over the filling, working back and forth from side to side to make a triangle. Seal the end closed with a little water or butter. Place triangle on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets and filling.
4. Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden brown and flaky, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.