My love for smoked salmon knows no bounds. Be it brunch or an appetizer – I am INTO it. Remember when I made these smoked salmon bagels a few years ago? I ate that for a few solid months straight. So delicious! (more…)

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I’ve got the best holiday appetizers for all your parties coming up!

Hopefully I’m not too late! While I have tons of great appetizers for the holiday season, these five in particular are ones that you can make ahead of time! You can prep them the day before your holiday party so there is no stress when it’s time to leave. These are the ones that I’ve been suggesting to friends and family when they ask “but what should I take?”

These are all huge crowd pleasers and make a nice serving size too. Um, also they all kind of have some version of cheese but HELLO it’s the holiday season! Which one of these is your favorite?

5 Best Holiday Appetizers

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Christmas snacks all around!

This hot honey cranberry camembert is the most perfect snack to serve during the holiday season. It looks super festive and melty cheese?!

Who can say no?

Not I.

I love camembert cheese so much. It melts beautifully and has more flavor than brie. It’s super creamy and has a nuttiness that goes so well on a cheeseboard. It’s such a lovely change up from brie and I can’t get enough. 

If you need a great appetizer that everyone will love, but that also feels a little elevated and special, look no further!

Bake some camembert, serve it hot and melty and everyone will be thrilled. 

It’s creamy and cheesy, a little spicy and sweet, plus tart and fresh. We have all the best flavors right in one wheel! (more…)

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It’s time for all the holiday snacks! 

This pistachio pear puff pastry is a lovely little appetizer, snack or even a light dinner that works so well during this busy season. Whether it’s friends and family, a work party, book club or even a night when you’re home decorating by yourself, this is amazing!

Serve it with a little arugula greens salad and you will LOVE it. 

We all know that I will add just about anything to puff pastry that I can. And fruit and cheese is such a classic pairing. The pear plus the gruyere… oh my gosh. It’s unbeatable. A little sweet, sour, so cheesy and juicy. Plus, then we add in the crunch from the pistachios and you have the texture that you need. 

And the puff pastry! It’s ridiculously flaky and almost melts in your mouth. 

Dare I say this almond reminds me in a weird way of baklava?! The puff pastry has layers like phyllo dough, the pistachios are perfect and the honey drizzle – ideal! It’s a savory bite of course, but has the tiniest similarly to that delicious dessert. 

Now, I say this every time that I share a recipe with puff pastry, but it’s important. I prefer the puff pastry that comes in the refrigerator section of the grocery store, near the refrigerated pie crusts. Not the frozen puff pastry. 

The refrigerated version is one long sheet and a lot easier to work with if you’re making it into a pizza or an appetizer to slice. It also looks prettier, if I’m being honest. 

This is how I make it!

First, I poke the sheet of puff pastry all over with a fork so it doesn’t bubble up. It isn’t the end of the world if you forget this part, but it will bubble up. 

Next, sprinkle on some freshly grated cheese. This will melt a lot nicer than bagged cheese. And it will taste better too. 

Then, line up your cute little pear slices. These should be on the thinner side so they cook quickly in the oven. 

Next, a sprinkle of chopped pistachios. Also, a quick egg wash for shine. Then it’s time to bake! 

I bake this for 20 to 25 minutes and it’s perfect. Bubbly, cheesy, melty, flaky and so delicious. 

As soon as it comes out, I give it a heavy handed drizzle of hot honey. I like the hot honey to up the savory factor but you can also use regular old honey.

This is one of my favorite things to serve during the holiday season because it’s super simple. If you want to have a girls night with your best friend, it’s a fun little pizza to throw together with a glass of white wine and a salad. It’s very versatile and tastes fabulous!  (more…)

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Thanksgiving appetizers are tricky!

You want to have something for your guests to enjoy, but you don’t want to ruin the big meal. And of course, it depends on how long your guests are staying, what time you’re eating and so on.

My guests usually come two to three hours before we eat our dinner. And while I would always have something for them to snack on (no matter what!), I make sure to be a bit more intentional about it on this day.

Some years I have made a giant cheeseboard which barely gets touched (people are saving up for the meal!) or gets demolished (and then no one is as hungry for dinner). These days, I like to make a cheeseplate on a MUCH smaller scale or even a single dip that people can enjoy. I usually only make one appetizer and have it out. 

I also like to choose appetizers that I can mostly prepare ahead of time (or at least prepare all the ingredients before assembly). One of my most popular is my chipotle caramel chex mix, and this is fun because I can set out a few bowls of it. 

I’m sharing my favorites below and while some of these are large in the photos, I tend to make a smaller version (if it’s a cheeseboard) or only a half batch (such as bacon wrapped dates). This ensures we’re all hungry when the turkey and stuffing come out! 

P.S. you will also notice I come from a long line of cheeseball lovers. It’s true. 

Best Thanksgiving Appetizers

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I live for a holiday app! 

This whipped ricotta crostini is festive, super flavorful and always a hit at parties. Plus, it looks super pretty on a tray! You’ll love it and serving it at a holiday party this season may be your new flex.

It’s also a really great Thanksgiving appetizer because it’s so bite-sized. One of these won’t ruin your appetite for the big meal, but it will hold you over until everything is ready. It’s just enough.

The savory, sweet and slightly spicy combo is perfect and so satisfying! It hits every note that you’re craving and has lots of texture too. 

While I don’t love having a ton of appetizers at Thanksgiving – I really do prefer the focus to be on the giant meal, and dessert of course – I still need a few things. Because I want people to come early and spend the whole day at my house, so I want options! If they are hungry, I want to have something out. 

The key is that it can’t be something that takes a long time (or kitchen space) to prepare. This works well because you can prep the ingredients a day or so before and then assemble right before serving. 

This is how it comes together!

I take a baguette and toast it until it’s golden and crisp. Bonus points if you rub it with a sliced clove of garlic! 

A day or so ahead of time, I will whip the ricotta in my food processor. Then I’ll store it in a sealed glass jar in the fridge. 

I also crisp up the pancetta and chop the dates. I keep these in a container in the fridge too and I usually just mix them together. But I do make sure to remove them from the fridge an hour or so ahead of assembly. 

The rest is a hot honey drizzle and some fresh rosemary. Both of those are super easy and can be thrown on right at the end!

Before serving, I spread the ricotta on the baguette slices, top with the pancetta/date mix, drizzle with the hot honey and sprinkle with the rosemary.

It’s SO easy. And it looks fancy! 

Having a pretty appetizer is half the battle and not only do we want it to look beautiful, but also super delicious. The honey gives it a glaze that is so appealing, you won’t be able to stay away. It’s the ideal tiny bite!  (more…)

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Snack time!

These jalapeno cheddar turnovers are cheesy with a hint of spice and a lovely golden exterior. Crispy, flaky pastry with a cheesy filling is all I need for an ideal snack. 

If you’re a lover of cheesy jalapeno poppers, you will LOVE these.

They are a great snack, a handheld app that is easy to pass and you can even customize the size and shape.

Think of it as a savory poptart. 

I can get behind that! 

Over the years I’ve seen lots of articles and have heard people complaining that jalapenos are no longer hot. I totally agree and yet, I find that this is a good thing for me. Because I am a huuuuge baby when it comes to spice and heat. I don’t enjoy it. In fact, I don’t understand why people ruin the flavor of food by covering it in hot sauce!

See? Total baby. 

The thing is, that I LOVE the flavor of jalapenos. Jalapenos taste so summery and garden-fresh to me. The scent, the flavor – it takes me back to my childhood and I really enjoy using them straight from the plant. 

So that is why you can find three (!!!) jalapeno peppers in here. The pastries have so much wonderful jalapeno flavor without being too spicy. Trust me – if they were, I couldn’t handle it! 

We were inspired to make these after a local cafe had jalapeno cheddar pastries. I’m sure their version used their homemade dough because it wasn’t quite as puffed, but I knew that puff pastry would do the trick!

Is there anything better? I live for puff pastry. It has so many uses and I’m thrilled to be adding another one today. 

The filling is simple and straightforward: creamy cheese, cheddar, diced peppers and some seasonings. 

The puff pastry is perfect, of course, so there isn’t much that you have to do with it! Everytime I share a recipe with puff pastry, I like to talk about the kind that I use. I prefer to use the refrigerated version that comes rolled up in a long sheet, instead of the frozen variety that is perforated. 

I find that this is SO much easier to use, looks prettier, yields a better result and tastes amazing. In my grocery store, I find it in the refrigerated section by the pie crusts. Brands like wewalka or jus rol are what I use the most often!  (more…)

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I’m all about the game day recipes right now!

My chilled pizza dip is super flavorful and perfect for a football weekend. It can also be made ahead of time (like the night before!) which is key when you want to take something fantastic and unfussy to a tailgate or party. 

This is one of those recipes that EVERYONE will ask for. And it takes virtually no time at all!

By now, many of you have made my chilled queso. I have a version here on a blog and a different one in Easy Everyday. It is one of my most popular summer recipes – and with good reason! 

While completely unassuming, it tastes incredible. Everywhere I take my chilled queso – everyone who eats it – absolutely flips over how delicious it is.

It doesn’t look like anything special. In fact, it almost looks a bit unappealing if I do say so myself.

When we created that recipe a few years ago, it was after my cousin Lacy had eaten it at a restaurant. Well, it just so happens that earlier this summer, she had a cold pizza dip from a local italian marketplace that inspired this exact recipe!

The version she ate was different. It was definitely cream cheese based and very pink from roasted red peppers or sun dried tomatoes. And that was our plan all along – to make it similarly. But once we started testing things in the kitchen, we determined that it HAD to be made like the chilled queso. 

The texture of the chilled queso is unmatched. It’s creamy enough to scoop up with a chip but sturdy enough to last at a party without getting gross. It’s made with real grated cheese, and when we tried to mix real grated cheese with cream cheese – it was too thick. Not scoopable, barely spreadable, and nowhere near as good as the cold queso!

So we took the cold queso recipe and turned it into a pizza version. We used the exact same method, but this time we crisped up some pepperoni in the oven. And we swapped provolone and fontinella for the cheddar and monterey jack.  (more…)

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Welcome to your new favorite lunch!

Or snack. Or app. Even a party passer! Basically, your new favorite way to use up grilled salmon. My summer salmon spread is incredible, packed with red peppers, fresh herbs, yogurt, lemon, green onions and more.

Spread it on a sandwich, scoop on toast, serve it with crackers or crudités. The options are endless for this baby and I can’t wait to tell you about it. 

Now, this recipe was born out of me having quite a bit of leftover grilled salmon one Monday afternoon. I made it for dinner on Sunday night and we headed to the pool Monday. I opened the fridge to prep a few snacks and spied all the leftover salmon. Instantly, I grabbed a bunch of other ingredients and within minutes, had a delicious salmon spread that we enjoyed all afternoon.

This was a big deal because generally, I do not like salmon salad. And when I say salad, I mean the kind that is mayo-based and creamy and served like tuna salad. I don’t know, but it’s not my thing. And I do like tuna prepared this way.

But something hit me that morning and I knew that I HAD to make this spread. I had leftover pita chips ready to go, cucumbers and carrots as well as toasted sourdough for sandwiches.

Oh my GOSH. New summer snack unlocked. This was a dreamy hit – so filling and satisfying and light. Not overly creamy or wet, but made with just enough creaminess to bring it together.

And the grilled salmon! Well, that smoky flavor really took things over the top. (more…)

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Raise your hand if you need a new summer app!

This summer marinated cheese is perfect for a little summer snack. A lovely appetizer made of sliced goat cheese, summer sweet corn, scallions, fresh herbs, a touch of vinegar and more. It’s tangy and herby and seriously so good, you won’t believe it. 

Summer snack season is the best season! I love serving light summer snacks for dinner on a hot day. At the pool. Even if friends just happen to stay longer than planned. It’s always fun to have a snacky meal and it gets the conversation moving too. 

One of my most popular recipes (and personal favorites!) is this marinated christmas cheese. It is SO flavorful and the best make-ahead appetizer. It works as both a spread and a dip and you can prepare it ahead of time for the maximum flavor result. 

Seriously, people freak out over it!

Now there is nothing “Christmas” about the recipe whatsoever, aside from the color. So sure, you can make it at any time. But I have wanted to make a summery version – one that is packed with fresh herbs and sweet corn and is so light and tasty for summer. 

Think happy hour on the deck with a chilled glass of wine. Any summer BBQ. A pool party even. 

The options are endless and the dip is plentiful. It doesn’t look like it makes a lot, but it’s very satisfying and simple to throw together.  

Not only is this delish, but it is SO pretty. I love to throw in some chive blossoms if I have them from my plant and it adds a pretty pop. Beautiful AND edible.  (more…)

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