Christmas Party Appetizer and Garnish Ideas

It's time to get out the Christmas tree, iron the good table cloths, and send out the invitations for your yearly Christmas bash. But this year, maybe you should think about doing something a little different food-wise. If your menu needs some jazzing up, try these five new appetizer recipes and you'll be sure to have your guests licking your plates clean! (Recipes estimated to feed a party of approximately 20 people.)

Artisan Bread and Sausage Spread

Ingredients

1 lb pork sausage

8 oz cream cheese

16 oz diced mushrooms

2 teas. minced garlic

1 loaf of Pugliese artisan bread, pre-sliced, from your local bakery

optional:

a small onion, diced fine

a small bell pepper, diced fine

Preparation: Place your sausage in a cast iron skillet and brown. Add your mushrooms and garlic and sear it until the mushrooms are rubbery in texture. Also, if you chose to add the optional onion and pepper, throw those in now as well. Your kitchen should be smelling pretty good at that point. When you're satisfied that your meat is fully cooked and your mushrooms are done, add the cream cheese and mix it around until it coats the meat mixture. Let it heat for a little bit, maybe 5 minutes or maybe less, to get the flavors married. While that is warming on your stove, take your bread and heat it in your oven according to the specifications on the package. Usually for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. When your guests arrive, put the sausage and cheese mixture into a decorative bowl and place a basket of warm bread and a spreader next to it. It's terribly unhealthy, but when your guests taste it, they will beg you for the recipe!

Recommended Garnish: A sprig of parsley on top of the spread and a Christmas kitchen towel wrapping your warm bread will look very festive and pretty!

Southern Fried Chicken Strips

Ingredients

4 lbs chicken tenders

2 cups flour

half-pint corn oil

a pinch of salt and pepper

honey mustard

Preparation: Heat the oil in a deep cast iron skillet on your stove. You'll know it's ready when you toss in a drop of water and it sizzles and pops. Now place your flour in a flat Pyrex pan and toss in your pinch of salt and pepper. Now take your chicken tenders and roll them in the flour until they are coated. Carefully drop in your chicken tenders and brown them in the oil. They will be finished when they reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees. (Make sure to remove one from the oil before you use your meat thermometer, or you won't get an accurate reading.) When they have finished cooking, carefully take them out of the oil and let them drain on a rack or on some paper towels (but be sure you don't leave any paper towel bits on them if you do this.) When they have cooked a bit and they're not so oily, place them on a decorative platter with a bowl of honey mustard. They will definitely be a crowd favorite!

Recommended Garnish: Definitely use a holiday patterned platter to hold your chicken tenders. Try wrapping a thin ring of tinsel under the platter so just the edge peeks out.

Spicy Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

24 hard boiled eggs

1 cup mayonnaise

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

a pinch of salt and pepper

¼ cup finely diced jalapeño peppers

Preparation: Peel your eggs. The easiest way to do this is when they are finished cooking, immediately take them from the boiling water and place them into cold water. That will help to loosen the shell from the inside. Then you shouldn't have any problem peeling them. When they are peeled, slice them in half long ways. Remove the yellow yolk to a separate (large!) bowl and place the whites on a decorative platter. Set the whites aside. Now take your bowl of yolks and mix the mayonnaise, mustard, and salt and pepper. Stir until creamy. If the mixture is too crumbly, add more mayonnaise until it is creamy. Once that is done, toss in your jalapeños peppers and stir a little more. Now drop a dollop of your 'devil' into your egg whites. Pile them up neatly with filling and then arrange them artfully. Chill before serving. You're sure to get some comments on these unusual appetizers!

Recommended Garnish: Sprigs of parsley and a couple whole jalapeño peppers scattered around the platter are all that a plate of deviled eggs need. Anything else would be overkill.

Vegetable Pizza

Ingredients

2 packages Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

1 oz package Ranch Dressing mix (the powder)

2 cups sour cream

8 oz cream cheese

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups chopped carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and bell pepper (use more or less at your preference)

1 cup shredded lettuce (use more or less at your preference)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (use more or less at your preference)

Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly grease a large, flat cookie sheet. Spread out the packages of crescent rolls and press flat on the pan to form a rectangle. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

In a bowl combine Ranch, sour cream, cream cheese, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly until well blended. When the crust has cooled sufficiently spread the Ranch mixture until surface is covered.

Sprinkle vegetables and cheese over the crust and then cut into squares. Serve immediately. This dish loses its appeal if it sits for too long.

Recommended Garnish: Surround the outside edge of the platter with bite sized carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. Place a bowl of dip to the side, so the garnish can be eaten along with the pizza.

Toothpick Shish-Kebabs

Ingredients

Box of toothpicks

1 lb of steak tips

16 oz mushrooms

16 oz cherry tomatoes

1 cup Kikkoman's Stir-fry sauce

Preparation: Soak toothpicks in water. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place steak tips in a cast iron skillet and fry on medium high heat until done, approximately 15 minutes. Add stir-fry sauce and allow to simmer for 5 minutes on low heat. Take toothpicks out of water and dry them off. Layer a mushroom, piece of steak, and cherry tomato on the toothpick and lay on a cookie sheet. Bake in oven for approximately 15 minutes. Place neatly on decorative platter with an extra dish of warm Kikkoman's stir-fry sauce for dipping.

Recommended Garnish: Definitely put these savory shish-kebabs on a decorative Christmas platter, raised if you have one. Under the raised platter create a ring of Christmas greenery. If you only have a flat platter, place the greenery under the edges so it's just peeking out.

I hope these recipes will help you give your holiday party a little boost. Remember to clean up your kitchen as you go, so you can relax with your guests and not worry about stuff sticking to your pots and pans, waiting for you at the end of the party.

Have a happy and safe holiday season!