Need Dessert and/or Appetizer Recipe for Holidays

[NakedFinger]

Hi Everyone!

So I have Christmas Eve with DH's dad's family, Christmas day with my family, and day after Christmas with Dh's moms side. Needless to say, I have a lot to make!

I usually bring dessert when I go places, as I do love to bake over cooking. However, I am getting tired of my usual go-to recipes, and would love some new suggestions! I would say I am an "intermediate" baker, so it doesnt have to be too basic. Anyone out there have some good holiday treat ideas for me?

(also, I feel like I never have ideas for a quick/easy appetizer, so I would welcome any easy suggestions for that as well!)

THANKS!

ETA: Haha just noticed there was a holiday cookie thread already. Sorry for the repetitiveness! I dont usually make cookies (usually cakes, bars, pies, cupcakes, etc.) So there are no duplicates, I'll say post you "NON-COOKIE RECIPES". lol

 

[zoebartlett]

I know you said you don't need anything too basic, but this one was the first one that popped into my mind.

What about baked brie with walnuts and brown sugar on top (served with a baguette)? We have it all the time as an appetizer over the holidays and it's always a hit.

 

[NakedFinger]

I know you said you don't need anything too basic, but this one was the first one that popped into my mind.

What about baked brie with walnuts and brown sugar on top (served with a baguette)? We have it all the time as an appetizer over the holidays and it's always a hit.

OMG that sounds amazing! Any "recipe" for it or ratio suggestions? Or do you just wing it?

The desserts didnt need to be basic because I am decent baker. But cooking I am not, so a basic app is great!

 

[chemgirl]

If you have access to an oven at the party, my favorite is cranberry bri wrapped in puff pastry. Here's a basic recipe http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/19540/baked-brie-in-puff-pastry-with-cranberry-sauce.html

If you have frozen puff pastry on hand (and an oven that isn't already filled with a turkey) you could also cut the pastry in to circles, then top with shredded cheese, a slice of plum tomato, and some fresh thyme. Then just bake it until the pastry is golden brown.

Bacon wrapped shrimp or scallops are also fairly easy. The secret to those is rubbing them in a sweet chili sauce before you wrap the bacon to give everything a bit more flavor.

If you don't have access to an oven, I find its best to go with things that aren't baked at all. For example, a homemade bruschetta topping and some fancy bread, or a wooden cutting board with fancy blocks of cheese next to a plate of crackers. Hummos is also fairly easy to make.

For dessert, this one has gone over very whenever I make it for my friends: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/snowball-cake-114038.aspx it looks like a snowball so its pretty festive. I usually ditch the coolwhip and jello pudding topping and make my own cream. The suggested topping is also pretty good though. I just have an aversion to coolwhip...the stuff freaks me out.

 

[NakedFinger]

If you have access to an oven at the party, my favorite is cranberry bri wrapped in puff pastry. Here's a basic recipe http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/19540/baked-brie-in-puff-pastry-with-cranberry-sauce.html

If you have frozen puff pastry on hand (and an oven that isn't already filled with a turkey) you could also cut the pastry in to circles, then top with shredded cheese, a slice of plum tomato, and some fresh thyme. Then just bake it until the pastry is golden brown.

Bacon wrapped shrimp or scallops are also fairly easy. The secret to those is rubbing them in a sweet chili sauce before you wrap the bacon to give everything a bit more flavor.

If you don't have access to an oven, I find its best to go with things that aren't baked at all. For example, a homemade bruschetta topping and some fancy bread, or a wooden cutting board with fancy blocks of cheese next to a plate of crackers. Hummos is also fairly easy to make.

For dessert, this one has gone over very whenever I make it for my friends: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/snowball-cake-114038.aspx it looks like a snowball so its pretty festive. I usually ditch the coolwhip and jello pudding topping and make my own cream. The suggested topping is also pretty good though. I just have an aversion to coolwhip...the stuff freaks me out.

Thanks for the info! This all sounds great!

I laughed out loud when I read the bolded part. I actually have the same aversion to coolwhip. Don't know why, but theres something off about it to me. I hate when people use it for desserts!

 

[CurlySue]

My holiday go-to dessert is bread pudding, and every time I make it, people go absolutely insane for it.

You need:
1-10.75 oz loaf of 1 or 2 day old bread (I use Challah bread, but any bread should do), torn into small pieces
2 cups milk
2 cups whipping cream
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350, and butter a 9x13 baking dish.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until it looks sort of like oatmeal. Pour into the prepared dish.
Bake for approximately one hour, until it's nearly "set."

I personally like mine a little less firm, slightly gooey, so I bake it about 50 minutes. Typically if I give the dish a little bit of a shake, the pudding will wiggle a bit.

I serve it out of the oven - nice and warm - with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on the side, but I've had leftovers cold from the fridge, and they taste great, too!

 

[purselover]

Here's the recipe I use for peanut butter and jelly cupcakes, they are delicious! I always use smooth reduced fat peanut butter for the frosting and it works wonderfully. I also don't have a pastry bag so I just fill a zip lock bag with jelly and cut off the tip, and I use a straw to make a hole in the cupcake and swirl it around.


PBJ CUPCAKES
- makes 12 to 14 cupcakes -

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup grape jelly

Chunky Peanut Butter Frosting (recipe follows)

Coarsely chopped peanuts or crushed peanut butter cups, for garnish

Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake papers.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in two parts, alternating with the milk. Add the vanilla.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups until each is about two-thirds full. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

5. When cupcakes are thoroughly cool, fill a squeeze bottle with jelly, and then invert the tip of the bottle into the center of a cooled cupcake. Carefully squeeze about 1 tablespoon jelly into center of cupcake. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Frost with Chunky Peanut Butter Frosting, and garnish with roasted salted peanuts or crushed peanut butter cups.


CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
- makes 2 1/2 cups (enough to frost 14 cupcakes) -

Ingredients
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 tablespoon milk (a few drops more if needed)

Procedure
1. In a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

2. On low speed, slowly add 1 cup sugar, then a few drops milk. Increase mixer speed to medium-high, and mix thoroughly. Add remaining sugar and a few more drops milk if necessary.

3. Increase mixer speed to high, and mix until frosting is fluffy and reaches a good spreading consistency. Use immediately.

 

[qtiekiki]

There's a cupcake thread in FHH.

Link: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/the-cupcake-thread.81117/?hilit=cupcake thread

 

[iLander]

I know you said you don't need anything too basic, but this one was the first one that popped into my mind.

What about baked brie with walnuts and brown sugar on top (served with a baguette)? We have it all the time as an appetizer over the holidays and it's always a hit.

Yes, I want this recipe too!

 

[bebe]

I know you said you don't need anything too basic, but this one was the first one that popped into my mind.

What about baked brie with walnuts and brown sugar on top (served with a baguette)? We have it all the time as an appetizer over the holidays and it's always a hit.

Yes, I want this recipe too!

This is super easy
I'm doing something very similar using a Brie round (large) and topping it with Raspberry Peach Champagne Jam and Pecans
and bake.
Oh, and the last time I did this, I removed the rind from the top only - seemed to work better than in the past.

 

[zoebartlett]

I know you said you don't need anything too basic, but this one was the first one that popped into my mind.

What about baked brie with walnuts and brown sugar on top (served with a baguette)? We have it all the time as an appetizer over the holidays and it's always a hit.

OMG that sounds amazing! Any "recipe" for it or ratio suggestions? Or do you just wing it?

The desserts didnt need to be basic because I am decent baker. But cooking I am not, so a basic app is great!

No need for a recipe! Just wing it -- put as much brown sugar and walnuts on top as you'd like. Just cut off the top rind of the brie before putting the other stuff on top. The sugar melts as the cheese bakes -- it's so, so, so good! I'm not even sure what temp or how long to bake the brie, but maybe try 350. Sorry!

You could also add craisins if you'd like too. I've never done that but I'm planning on trying it. It seems festive. If you do try it with craisins, you may not want to do brown sugar.

 

[Bunny007]

I've had so many different brie appetizers, like the ones described in this thread, and they've all been delicious. I don't think you can mess up that idea.

I made a salmon dip for Thanksgiving that everyone seemed to like. It was easy and tastes better when made a day or two in advance, which is great for me because I always have to travel for the holidays.

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, drained
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound (4 ounces) smoked salmon, minced

Directions
Cream the cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until just smooth. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, horseradish, salt, and pepper, and mix. Add the smoked salmon and mix well. Chill and serve with pumpernickel.

 

[lovemybling]

EASY hot Artichoke dip

3 cans artichokes (canned in water not marinated)
1 large can green Chiles
3/4 lite mayo
2 cup parmesan cheese

Drain & Dice artichokes (either by hand or in food processor)

Put in 8X8 pan with mayo chiles and 1 cup of cheese, mix together and spread evenly pan. Top with reamaining cheese. Put into 350 degree oven til hot and bubbly (about 30 min) Serve with tortilla chips

ENJOY!!

 

[tenorgirl33]

Mmm...my favorite holiday dessert is trifle.

I don't have the recipe on hand (I'm at work )

I make a chocolate cake, bake it in loaf pans instead of rounds, slice the cake, and layer it with Bailey's Chocolate Mousse and whipped cream in a trifle dish. I love strawberries with chocolate, so sometimes I throw a couple layers of that in too.

I can post the recipes for the cake and mousse when I get home, if you'd like. If you want it to be super easy, you can use boxed cake mix and chocolate pudding instead of making everything from scratch.

ETA: Sorry, I forgot, when you put the cake down in the dish, you should sprinkle it liberally with Bailey's.

 

[Allison D.]

Most ridiculously easy and GOOD appetizer.....

1 can artichoke hearts
1 cup pesto
2 pkgs filo cups (about 30)
Grated parmesan (for garnish)

Process artichoke hearts in food processor until well chopped.
Stir in cup of pesto and mix thoroughly.
Scoop evenly into prepared filo cups.
Garnish with a bit of grated parmesan.