The Main Menu: Appetizer recipes to help capture the holiday spirit
By JAN MAIN
During the Christmas season, appetizers offer an immediate greeting to friends and family that say: Welcome!
Here are food ideas, quick and simple, that capture the holiday spirit.
Emergency Appetizer Platter
Keep an array of foods on hand, such as: olives, nuts, dried fruits, cheeses (perhaps two – a strong flavour like Stilton and a milder taste like cheddar), one or two dips or spreads with veggies and assorted cracker or baguette.
This way, you have the makings of an enticing arrangement for a large platter or tray to entertain guests.
Be sure to put out napkins and small plates.
In a separate place but nearby, have a table with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and glasses ready so that guests can help themselves. (You could serve hot mulled cider and wine for a change of pace.)
Paula’s Sweet Onion Canapes
Onions, thinly sliced, are slowly roasted to the sweet and slurpy stage to maximize flavour. Then this mixture is used as a topping for pitas or sliced, toasted baguette with luscious melted cheese and a garnish of sundried tomato.
Once nibbles are assembled, they can be covered and refrigerated until ready to serve.
Close to serving time, preheat oven to 375 (190 C). Bake canapes on a parchment lined baking tray to make hot delicious mouthfuls, about 5-8 minutes.
4 cooking onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp (25 mL) butter
2 tbsp (25 mL) brown sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar
1 pkg mini- pita rounds, sliced half way or sliced baguette, toasted
8 oz/ 250 g Swiss or mozzarella cheese or cheese of your choice
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced
To Cook Onions: Preheat oven to 300 F (150 C). In a mixing bowl, combine sliced onions, butter, brown sugar and vinegar, mixing well. Spread a thin layer of onion mixture on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in pre-heated oven 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and soft, stirring occasionally.
Onion mixture may be made ahead and spooned into a jar ready to use as a topping at a later time.
Or …
To serve immediately: Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C) Top each pita or toasted baguette slice with a spoonful of this onion mixture; sprinkle lightly with cheese and a few strips of sundried tomato.
Bake 6-8 minutes or until heated through and cheese has melted. Serve immediately. Makes about three dozen.
Pesto Croustades
This is a variation of the previous onion croustades made with winter pesto. It can be assembled, refrigerated or frozen ready to pop into the oven.
Pesto itself makes an ideal hostess gift. It can be used as a spread for pizza, a toss for pasta or mixed with sour cream to become a dip for veggies.
Winter Pesto
1/4 cup (50 mL) pinenuts (optional)
2 cups (500 mL)packed, freshly washed and dried Italian parsley
1/2 cup (125 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp (25 mL) dried basil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
3/4-1 cup (175-250 mL extra virgin olive oil
To Make Pesto: Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) Line baking sheet with parchment paper and toast pine nuts on baking sheet about 5 – 8 minutes or until golden. In food processor or blender add pine nuts (if using) parsley, cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil.
Puree until well blended. Spoon into jar and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
For the croustades: Slice a baguette into slices about ½ inch (60 mm) thick. Arrange on parchment lined baking sheet and spread with a spoonful of winter pesto. Top with mozzarella cheese and a piece of sun-dried tomato.
Freeze or refrigerate until ready to serve. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Bake about 5 minutes or until hot and cheese has melted. Serve immediately. You can serve a crowd!
Meatballs in Cranberry Orange Sauce
Serve these meatballs with a toothpick and a generous coating of this piquant cranberry sauce with all the flavour of Christmas!
Cranberry Orange Sauce
1 bag cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
2 cups (500 mL) water
1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
Meatballs
1 lb ground chicken or turkey
1 egg
1 slice bread preferably whole-wheat made into breadcrumbs
1 tsp (5 mL) thyme or tarragon
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 ) fresh black pepper
In a stainless steel saucepan combine cranberries, sugar, water. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the rind from 1 orange. Add to mixture along with cinnamon stick. Bring to boil and then reduce heat and simmer until most of cranberries have popped and sauce begins to thicken. It takes about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; allow to cool.
Meanwhile, in mixing bowl, stir together chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, thyme, salt and pepper. Combine well.
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Form meat into small 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls and arrange on baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until no longer pink inside.
Place meatballs in casserole large enough to hold in single layer and pour cranberry sauce over. Cover and refrigerate until ready to reheat at 350 F (180 C) for 20 – 30 minutes.
Serve immediately with toothpicks and napkins. Makes about 32 meatballs.
Cheddar Pastry Stars
Keep a batch of these cheese pastry stars in the freezer to pop into the oven at a moment’s notice.
They are the perfect accompaniment to greet guests hot from the oven with a glass of wine.
3 cups (750 mL) all-purpose flour 2 cups (500 mL) grated old cheddar cheese
1 cup (250 mL) butter, cubed
Pinch of cayenne pepper
In a food processor or mixing bowl with electric beater, combine flour, cheese and butter with cayenne pepper until mixture forms a ball. Remove and roll out between 2 sheets of parchment paper, rolling away from you to ¼ inch (5 mm) thickness.
Using star cookie cutters, cut out sizes of your choice and place on parchment lined cookie sheets. They may be frozen at this point to be baked later or baked and served piping hot.
To serve; preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) line baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange star shortbread on sheet, leaving ½ inch between each.
Bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot with napkins!
