I’d been collecting appetizer recipes to make for the holidays but just kept procrastinating making them. I finally decided instead of making them for a party, we would feast on appetizers for dinner. And what a feast it was! All of these appetizers are really addicting and they would be a perfect addition to any holiday party.
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My boys favorite appetizer was Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps. What’s not to love about chicken wrapped in bacon, coated in spicy brown sugar and baked until crispy. It’s a Paula Deen recipe and I stumbled across it in Mags, The Other Side of Fifty, Christmas App post. Thanks for posting this one Mags!
My boys also loved the Cuties Bruschetta with Goat Cheese. I already knew I would love it because Cuties served it at Blogher Food and I’d been wanting to make it for my family ever since. It is a great combination of savory and sweet (mandarin oranges, red onions, tomatoes and basil) with smooth and creamy, mild Chevre goat cheese on crispy baguette slices. The original recipe also includes calamata olives, but we’re not olive lovers and I omitted those.
This Jalapeño Cheesecake appetizer is so easy but I couldn’t stop snacking on it. Alouette has a creamy, slightly-sweet, limited edition Cheesecake Spreadable Cheese available for the holidays and using Megan’s, Megan’s Cookin’, Cranberry Jalapeno Cheesecake as inspiration I served it topped with Cranberry Pepper Jelly.
Alouette sent me a wonderful package of their fabulous cheeses to try for the holidays. My family isn’t usually very adventurous in trying new cheese, so this was a great opportunity to expand our horizons.
The finally recipe I made was one that I’d been wanting to try for some time. Pepperidge Farm had ads in several cooking magazines with a gorgeous Brien en Croute and it looks irresistible. It really isn’t very difficult to make, but looks very impressive and tastes decedant.
I changed up the recipe a bit to use ingredients I had at home, walnuts and cranberry pepper jelly. Barbara, Vino Luci, gave me tips on Twitter on baking the Brie, including using a rimmed baking sheet because it always leaks.
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Holiday Appetizers and Brie en Croute Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 sheet Puff Pastry
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup cranberry pepper jelly
- 1 Brie cheese round I used an 8 oz Baby Brie
Instructions
- Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature until it's easy to handle (approximately 40 min.)
- Combine the walnuts and sugar in a small skillet. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the sugar starts to liquefy. Continue stirring constantly until the liquid reaches a golden color and coats the nuts.
- Remove from heat and spread candied nuts onto a greased cookie sheet or plate and allow to cool completely. Stir occasionally as it cools to break up large pieces.
- Preheat oven to 400º. Beat egg and water in a small bowl. Mix cooled walnuts and jelly together in a small bowl.
- Unfold the pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Roll sheet into a 12 inch x 16 inch rectangle. Cut 4 inch off 16 inch edged to decorate top. Spread walnuts jelly mixture in center of large square. Top with cheese.
- Brush edges of pastry with egg mixture. Fold two opposite sides over cheese. Trim remaining two sides of square to 2 inches from edge of cheese. Fold sides up onto sheese and press edges to seal.Place seam-side down onto baking sheet. Decorate top with pastry scraps. Brush with egg mixture.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is deep golden brown. Let stand for 20 minutes.
Wishing you a New Year filled with all your favorite foods!
Lisa
Barbara, so much catching up to do here, so many amazing treats! Every year I make a brie en croute, for both Thanksgiving and Xmas. I usually use caramelized apples or pears, and some kind of lightly salted nut. Several months ago I made a hot and sweet red pepper jelly and thought it would be an ideal filling for my en croutes, but never got to it and stuck with tradition. Lo and behold, you made yours with cranberry pepper jelly and it looks amazing! Makes me want to get another en croute soon! Happy New Year to you and your family!!
Becky at VintageMixer
WOW, that Brie en Croute recipe looks amazing! Looks like you had a delicious holiday. I hope that it was filled with joy and real peace. much love to you!!
Mamatkamal
This looks fabuluous! Happy New Year Barbara!
Anna Johnston
Woweee huh, that Brie en Croute looks amazing & I know I’m going to make it, what an awesome appetiser Barbara. Love the chicken wrapped in bacon too…, an oldie but absolutely a goldie. Great idea to make a meal out of them, I bet everyone went for them big time. Happy New Year 2011 Barbara – I really look forward to reading heaps more fabulous posts from you.
shaz
What a fun idea for dinner. Those chicken skewers certainly look good.Wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year!
Beth
Baked bries are always terrific, but yours looks amazing! What a perfect appetizer.
justjoycee
Great looking appetizers!!! Have a Happy New Year.
Claire @ Claire K Creations
Yum! That looks like a good recipe to have for New Years Eve drinks tonight. I’m very envious of your cheese selection you were sent.
Faith
Delicious appetizers, Barbara! My favorite baked brie is with figs but it sounds great with pepper jelly…I’ll have to try that!
averagebetty
Brie at this time of year is my weakness! Looks absolutely fabulous, Barbara 🙂 Happy New Year!!
sameena
Hey,
Gorgeous little appetizers…Mouthwatering…:)Happy new year to you!!:)
the blissful baker
these are some really fantastic-looking appetizers! i absolutely love brie, and have been wanting to try making it for new years. thanks for the recipe!
A Canadian Foodie
YUM!
I do something very similar with brie… I slice a bulb of garlic very thin and lay it on top, cover it with sundried tomato pesto, wrap it all in puff pastry and 40 minutes at 400 brings pure buttery bliss out of the oven.
Yours looks so gorgeous!
🙂
Valeire
sweetlife
a great idea to have appetizers for dinner, i love the chicken bacon wraps, very hubby friendly and I tried the Aloutte limited cheescake spread for thanksgiving..it was yummy, I got great reviews
sweetlife
happy holidays!!
Maria
Brie is one of my favorite party foods! Happy New Year!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
Well done mum! It all looks delicious and from the sounds of it the Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps is pure Paula Deen! 😀 Happy New Year coming up! xxx
Cakelaw
These are some fab ideas Barbara. I am especially keen on teh sweet chicken wraps – they sound delicious!
Gera@SweetsFoodsBlog
Appetizers if they are top notch can be a full meal for me, and those one matches perfect!
Agree about chicken wrapped in bacon, spicy, sweet – love them too 🙂
Happy New Year!!
Cheers,
Gera
Lisa
The Brie en croute is gorgeous – I printed out the recipe to use NYE (although I need to drop the walnuts, we’ve got a nut allergy amongst the group). I may serve the nuts alongside – seems like an important part of the recipe!
marla {family fresh cooking}
Barbra, great appetizer line up. How fun to munch them all for dinner. That brie en Croute looks decadent & delicious! Happy almost New Year to you & your family 🙂 xo