appetizers Archives – A Well Crafted Party

Easy Holiday Party Appetizer: Cranberry Prosciutto Goat Cheese Bites

December 30, 2023 No Comments A Well Crafted Pantry

Are you hosting a holiday gathering this year and need a simple holiday appetizer to drive home the flavors of the season, while not taking forever to make? These Prosciutto, Spiced Cranberry, and Goat Cheese Bites take little time to put together and are the perfect holiday bite. These are a perfect QUICK appetizer to make for your New Year’s Eve get-together or any winter event.

First off… DO NOT USE STORE BOUGHT CRANBERRY SAUCE. Okay, fine, if you have to… you can use store bought, just avoid the cranberry sauce that retains the shape of the can. Use something with discernible berries. I do highly recommend taking the time to make the spiced cranberry sauce as it will give just a bit more depth of flavor and holiday flare than store bought. (I created my spiced cranberry sauce while making my spiced cranberry simple syrup by straining the berries from the syrup.)

Second… crisp your prosciutto. It makes a word of difference. While you can absolutely do this with prosciutto straight out of the package, the crispy, salty goodness that comes from taking the time to throw that prosciutto in a pan or airfryer will add to this recipe. You can sub bacon if that is more readily available, but I’d recommend a thin sliced bacon so that it doesn’t overpower the dish.

Cranberry, Prosciutto, Goat Cheese Bites

This is more of an assembly than a recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Log of Goat Cheese – I used a plain goat cheese, however a honey goat cheese would be lovely in this.
Approximately 16 oz of Cranberry sauce of choice. The spiced cranberry sauce linked above worked really well with this as it had wonderful notes of cinnamon. However, a traditional cranberry sauce or even my pomegranate apple cranberry sauce would make for a fun addition.
4-6 slices of Prosciutto crisped up in a pan and broken into smaller portions.
1 Box of Fig and Olive Crackers (or a cracker of choice)
Fresh thyme for garnish.

Directions:

Take a cracker and top it with cranberry sauce and a spoonful of goat cheese. Top with crispy prosciutto. Sprinkle fresh thyme leaves on finished bites for a pretty and tasty garnish.

A Well Crafted Pantry

Favorite Holiday Appetizers

December 3, 2019 1 Comment A Well Crafted Pantry

It is party season! This year I am dealing with feeling overwhelmed and excited for what the holidays are going to bring. Due to the late Thanksgiving our normal routine for holiday decor, parties, and fun are being thrown up in the air a bit. I’m catching what I can and letting the rest fall aside. Okay, metaphor over… you get the idea though!

So, whether you are hosting a gift-wrapping get-together with friends or an elegant holiday party… you’re going to want something to feed your guests. Explore some of the blog’s most popular holiday appetizers below.

Ginger snap cookies make this appetizer even more delish!

Apricot & Honey Goat Cheese Balls

Goat cheese mixed with honey, apricots, and (optional) almonds is rolled into balls and served on top of ginger snap cookies with a drizzle of honey for this quick Apricot & Honey Goat Cheese Balls appetizer. You can also make this into a log or larger ball and serve on a platter with cookies for an even easier display!

This appetizer is ready to travel! Add in the final touches right before serving.

Caprese Wreath Appetizer

Appetizers for parties often end up being pretty rich and heavy. I always try to serve salad of some sort along with a crudites platter. This Caprese Wreath Appetizer is a good bridge for both and is a fantastic thing to bring to another person’s house!

You don’t have to bring serving utensils (or hope your guests have them) and it travels great! Simply prep everything and wrap in plastic. Add in olive oil and balsamic vinegar after you get to your location and you are done!

Holiday Grazing Table

This picture is from one of my first forays into creating a grazing table rather than just a platter of meat, cheese, crudites, and fruit. I’ve improved since on the display, but I still love this because it was just as impressive in person as I hoped it would be. Our guests LOVED it.

Blinis with Creme Fraiche and Caviar

I have a slight obsession with caviar during the holiday season. I love it so much. It feels so decadent! Often expensive, it is nice to use caviar as almost a garnish for your appetizers rather than the main event. Blinis with Creme Fraiche and Caviar is one way to wow your guests without entirely wiping out your bank. Another way is whipping up a batch of my favorite creme fraiche and chive dip with caviar and serving it with kettle chips!

Scallops and bacon with fig spread make for a festive appetizer or dinner option.

Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Fig Spread

Figs, bacon, and scallops are rich and wonderful each on there own, but even better together. Use this Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Fig Spread recipe as single bites of heaven or serve on skewers for a more hearty appetizer.

Oysters with Tabasco Shaved Ice

I obviously like seafood over the holidays. My favorite recipes seem to have all types of delicacies from the sea. I know Oysters are not for everyone, but for those who this does appeal to… take your oysters to the next level with flavored granitas or shaved ices. Whether it is a Tabasco Shaved Ice or Champagne Granita your guests will be in awe.

If you love a good round-up of recipes then for sure jump on over to a previous post with some more delicious holiday appetizers. These were recipes created by friends of mine that are sure to make your holiday party extra special.

What is your favorite go-to appetizer for a holiday party? Share in the comments below!

Photo creds: Two amazing professional photographers are featured above: Mary Boyden (oysters and the featured image of the holiday party scene) and Macey Snelson (blinis). In addition the bloggers that contributed recipes to the holiday appetizer round up are linked within that post. Go check it out!

A Well Crafted Pantry

Cheesy, slightly spicy, delicious Artichoke Dip

April 20, 2018 No Comments A Well Crafted Pantry

Every Spring I get overly excited about eating artichokes. These slightly intimidating vegetables are just so good and really not too difficult to make! I’m always doing things like steaming, grilling, or roasting my artichokes. But, when hosting a party where people aren’t easily able to eat and dispose of the artichoke leaves, a great way to introduce this tasty vegetable to the table is by creating this cheesy, slightly spicy, and very delicious artichoke dip!

This post is in partnership with Imperfect Produce. All opinions are my own. Imperfect Produce is a delivery company that sources “ugly” produce straight from the farm and delivers it to your door at 30-50% less than grocery store prices.

Artichoke Dip

I have been making this recipe for years, but this was the first time to try it with fresh artichokes. This recipe can be made with several fresh artichokes by steaming the artichokes, removing leaves until you just have the artichoke heart, and adding some lemon juice and salt to them. It takes about 15 fresh artichokes to make this dish. I often opt to create it with two cans of artichoke hearts which is what the recipe calls for. If you prefer to do it with fresh artichokes then don’t waste the outer leaves, dip them in your favorite sauce and have a snack! Toss your artichoke hearts in the juice of one large lemon and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.

Ingredients:

2 cans of artichoke hearts packed in water, drained, and chopped
2 boxes of cream cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
red pepper flakes to taste (I use about 1 tsp)
salt to taste ( I use about 1 tsp)
1 cup parmesan (half for in the mixture, half to top)

Directions:

Mix the chopped artichoke hearts, cream cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 cup of parmesan with a hand mixer until well incorporated.
Transfer to an oven safe dish and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for twenty minutes or until heated through.
Top with parmesan cheese and put back in oven for about five minutes or until cheese has browned slightly.
Serve with chips, crackers, or vegetables!