Planning a New Year’s Eve gathering but have no idea what delicious appetizers to offer? Here are some easy-to-serve, single-bite ideas to get the planning started.
Tomato and Mozzarella Bites
Ingredients
20 grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved
20 fresh basil leaves
20 small fresh mozzarella cheese balls
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
20 toothpicks
Directions
Spear half a tomato, a leaf of basil, a mozzarella ball, and another half of tomato on each toothpick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Mix together balsamic vinegar and olive oil to serve as a dipping sauce.
Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed mushrooms
Ingredients
36 medium mushrooms (about 2 pounds total)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking sheet
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 5-ounce package baby spinach, chopped
½ can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup Gruyère, grated (2 ounces)
Directions
Heat oven to 375° F. Remove the stems from the mushrooms; finely chop the stems and reserve. Spray a baking sheet with oil. Bake the mushroom caps, stem-side down, until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chopped mushroom stems and cook until tender, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach, artichoke hearts, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes, toss or stir often.
In a separate bowl, combine the spinach mixture with the bread crumbs and cheese. Spoon into the mushroom caps and bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
Brown Sugar Bacon Smokies
Ingredients
1 pound bacon
1 package (16 ounce) little smokie sausages
1 cup brown sugar
Directions
Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each strip around a sausage. Place one on a toothpick or several on a larger skewer. Arrange the skewers on a baking sheet and sprinkle liberally with brown sugar. Bake at 350°F until bacon is crisp and brown sugar is melted.
Bacon and Cheese Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
12 hard-cooked eggs
½ cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon honey mustard
4 slices crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled
2 Tablespoons sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 slice crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled, for garnishing (optional)
Chopped green onion, for garnishing (optional)
Directions
Halve eggs lengthwise and remove yolks. Place yolks in a bowl, mash with fork. Stir in mayonnaise, honey mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Fold in bacon crumbles and cheese.
Stuff egg whites with yolk mixture. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and bacon crumbles, if desired
Cinnamon Roasted Almonds Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups Almonds
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Add egg white and water to a large bowl. Beat egg white until you have soft peaks. Add sugars, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Spread nuts in a single layer on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring once halfway through cooking.
