One thing every holiday party needs is a kickin appetizer. Well, how about 5. Here are 5 easy holiday appetizer ideas and recipes.
I’ve gotten several new subscribers here to Farmhouse 1820, so I’d love to let you in on a little known fact about me: I love to entertain. Like, it’s my favorite thing ever. I love to create a fun and festive environment for friends and family, and see the smiles on their faces in return. Cocktail parties, dinner parties, outdoor parties, you name it, I enjoy them all whole-heartedly. Although I haven’t mastered a dinner party for a crowd of more than 10, I have mastered the art of a successful cocktail party, complete with homemade appetizers, and with a little help from the grocery store along the way.
I recently hosted my garden club in my garden house for a holiday open house. A group of women whom I adore, I wanted to provide appetizers that were more like grab and go. Though the list of apps that I wanted to serve was lengthy, I knew that this group of women wouldn’t be any different at this cocktail party than any others. Here’s what I have noticed: women are not known for standing around the appetizer table and noshing. It’s just not in our nature and I’m not sure why. Regardless of the reason, I found a solution to have a couple appetizer options all contained in one small vessel, like these bamboo cones. Charcuterie cones, I call them.
To each cone, I added roasted asparagus, one slice of red bell pepper, smoked gouda wrapped in salami, and a couple pretzel sticks along with a cracker for crunch. Displayed on a plexi platter, each cone contained a little of what is typically served on a charcuterie board.
Everyone loved these cones, and enjoyed everything in them, eating at their own pace. No need to keep walking over to the appetizer table to get another bite, everything was right there in their hands. And, if they wanted another cone, no one was counting. The best part, not one cone was left over after the party ended.
Success.
Sometimes while entertaining, there simply isn’t the space for an appetizer table. So, in that case, group the small bites together I had have done here. These cones are easy to hold even while holding a cocktail or glass of wine. You can find the plexi platter here. For the banboo cones, click here.
And while I’m on my favorite subject of entertaining, Here are four more appetizer ideas to serve at your next party.
Second only to those mini pigs-in-a-blanket things, which happen to be a party favorite no matter how fancy of a reception you’re attending, is my homemade cheese ball. A group of cheeses and other ingredients all rolled into a ball and served with crackers on the side, it’s a crowd pleaser. Click here for the recipe.
I always have a bowl or two of Rosemary Almonds placed around for guests to enjoy. Easy peasy and popular. Click here for the recipe.
For me, cheese makes the world go round. I find that I have at least two appetizer dishes where cheese is the star of the show. My Herbed Goat Cheese with Sun Dried Tomato Salsa is no different. I love to serve this as an hors d’oeuvre before brunch. Delicious. Click here for the recipe.
Shrimp cocktail is always a favorite at my cocktail parties. I like to amp up the boiled shrimp and grill them instead. Intense flavor at its finest. Click here for the recipe.
These are 5 holiday appetizer ideas and recipes that would certainly be a big hit when you entertain. Give them a try, even if you make them for a party of two.
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