I like to have some easy starters to make especially if I am making a more complicated main course or if I am just having people over for drinks. Baked brie only takes minutes to prepare and you can keep the ingredients in the house for any last minute drop in guests.
Baked Brie with Preserves
8oz. Wheel of Brie Cheese, room temperature
3 tbs. Fig Preserves
2 tbs. Almonds, sliced or chopped
Crackers, such as water crackers
Sliced Apples (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the wheel of Brie on it. Top the Brie with the fig preserves and bake until the cheese starts to ooze a little, about 7 or 8 minutes. Garnish with chopped almonds and serve with crackers or apple slices.When I entertain I always try to have one special drink. It cuts down on alcohol costs for parties and you can usually mix up big batches of signature drinks such as winter sangria. This cocktail is one of my favorites, I love anything with bubbles. It looks festive and the frozen cranberries keep the Prosecco cold.
1 bottle of Prosecco
1 package of Fresh Cranberries
Wash cranberries and pat dry. In a freezer safe container or bag, lay cranberries in one flat single layer and freeze. Make sure you freeze them in a single layer otherwise they will stick together.It takes about 4 hours for them to completely freeze. To serve place a few of the frozen cranberries in the bottom of a wine glass, pour Prosecco over the top. The cranberries help keep the drink cold and it is a nice holiday touch.
(Note: I’ve used ice cube trays to freeze the cranberries. Instead of freezing them in one single layer, put
4 or 5 in each cube tray compartment.)
This is the perfect party snack or accompaniment with drinks. These can also be made ahead and stored in an air tight container. These are a healthier alternative to mixed nuts.
Roasted Chickpeas
1 15 oz. Can Chickpeas
1 1⁄2 tbs. Olive Oil
1⁄2 tsp. Smoked Salt or Coarse Sea Salt
(Season with Salt and Spice Blend to your taste)
Preheat the oven to 400°. Drain the chickpeas into a strainer and briefly rinse under water to clean them off. Make sure to drain off all the water from the strainer you don’t want any excess water. Lay the chickpeas on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Use another paper towel on top to gently absorb the remaining water and remove thin skins. Discard paper towels and skins before you put them in the oven. Coat chickpeas with the olive oil and spread out in a single layer. Roast the chickpeas for 30-40 minutes until they are golden brown and crunchy. Half way through the cooking process rotate the pan and stir the chickpeas. Season with salt and your choice of seasoning such as curry, Creole, or Italian seasoning while they cool.
I love crostini!!! It is the ultimate in party food for me. It is like the little black dress of party bites in my
opinion. This recipe also works really well with pear if you aren’t an apple lover.
Apple and Goat Cheese Crostini
1 French baguette
6 oz. Goat Cheese, room temperature
2 tbs. Fresh thyme, Chopped
1 Apple, such as Honey Crisp
1 Lemon
Honey
(Note: Lemon water for the apples. You will need 1⁄2 a lemon juiced for every one apple you use and enough cold water to cover the apples.)
Preheat oven to 400°. Take the baguette and cut it into 1” inch slices and drizzle with olive oil, place on baking sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown. While the crostini is toasting mix together the goat cheese and thyme, salt the mixture to taste. Set aside. Slice up the apple into thin half moon slices; place the slices of apple in lemon water to prevent browning. Make sure to pat the slices dry of excess water before you assemble the crostini. To assemble put about a teaspoon of the goat cheese mixture on one of the toasted crostinis and lay a slice of apple on top. Repeat until the mixture is gone. Once assembled on a serving platter drizzle with honey.
These recipes were created by Ashley Tresoline, Founder and Owner of Bella Foodie in Springfield. This article was originally published on Macaroni Kid Springfield and has been shared with us by permission.
To find all of Macaroni Kid EBC's ~ Macaroni Made Recipes visit our Pinterest Page
