Two Fun and Easy Appetizer Recipes

This is a fabulously quick and easy recipe for a light and tasty appetizer. It would be great served at any party but particularly for New Year's or Christmas. The flavors can be tweaked in many different ways by changing your toppings. Whether sweet or savory, these appetizers are just enough without being overpowering.

Ingredients:

One sheet of puff pastry, thawed (½ of a 17 ¼ ounce package)

2 Tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil (I prefer the taste of the olive oil)

Savory Toppings: grated Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried dill weed, dried basil leaves, paprika

Sweet Toppings: cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla sugar or powdered vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Roll the pastry dough on a lightly floured surface into a 13 inch square. Cut the pastry into shapes using simply shaped cookie cutters. Simple shapes are best. Try for stars and bells and even moon shapes on New Year's; candy canes and stars on Christmas, etc. You can cut any shapes you wish.

Place the pastry shapes onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush the cut outs lightly with your oil. Decorate with any toppings you choose. Combine toppings for different tastes.

Bake the pastry shapes for 6 - 8 minutes or until they are golden in color. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Puff Pastry Twists

Another easy recipe with great taste. You can use other fillings than the parmesan cheese for different flavors.

Ingredients

One sheet of puff pastry, thawed (½ of a 17 ¼ ounce package)

1 egg

1 tablespoon of water

1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano leaves, crushed

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Mix the egg and water and beat it well. Mix the cheese and herbs in a separate bowl and set aside.

Unfold the pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 14 x 10 rectangle. Cut this in halg lengthwise so that you have two rectangles that are 14 x 5. Brush both halves with the egg mix and top one of the halves with the cheese mixture. Place the remaining half over the cheese topped half with the egg side down. Roll or press gently to seal the two.

Using a sharp, clean knife, cut the pastry into 28 (½ inch wide) strips. Twist the strips and place them about 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet, pressing down the ends. Brush the tops with the egg mixture.

Bake the twists for about 10 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.