My good friend Becky Doyle requested I send her some amazing eats for her upcoming Christmas party. I will do a separate post on holiday decor since I LUUUUV Christmas! In the meantime, some cute, easy and guaranteed to be a hit snacks for your next holiday party. Im getting hungry just working on this blog! Don't forget if you try some out - send me an email and show me your work :) Enjoy!
SNOWMAN STICKS
- To make a batch, melt 1 cup of white chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler.
- One at a time, dip one end of an 8-inch pretzel rod in the melted chocolate and use a plastic spoon or knife to spread the chocolate two thirds of the way down the rod.
- Set the pretzels on a sheet of waxed paper and press on mini chocolate chips for eyes and buttons. Use orange decorators' gel to add a carrot nose.
- When the chocolate has hardened, stand the pretzels in a mug or glass and tie on strips of fruit leather for scarves. For each hat, stretch a gummy ring over the narrow end of a gumdrop and secure it on the pretzel rod with a dab of melted chocolate.
- Ingredients
- 6 medium cucumbers
- 1 (8-ounce) container red pepper hummus
- 1(8-ounce) container lemon hummus
- Chopped chives for garnish
- Instructions
- Create decorative stripes on the sides of the cucumbers using a vegetable peeler (for wide stripes) or a citrus zester (for thin stripes). We did a combo of the two, as shown above.
- Cut the cucumbers crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick rounds. Using a teaspoon or melon baller, scoop out the seeds to form a well, about 1/3 inch deep, in each slice. (A great job for kids!)
- Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of the red pepper hummus into the wells of half of the cucumber cups, mounding it slightly. (For a fancier look, use a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe in the filling.) Repeat the process with the lemon hummus and the remaining cups.
- Sprinkle all with chopped chives. Serves 20 (makes about 64 cups).
ANTIPASTO SAUSAGE
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 12 ounces fully cooked Italian-style poultry sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil
- 1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained, rinsed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces if large
- 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
Directions
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat; mist with cooking spray. Add the sausage; cook, turning 2 or 3 times, until warmed through and browned, about 8 minutes.Thread 1 small or 1/2 large basil leaf onto a small wooden skewer. Add a piece of roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomato, artichoke and sausage, arranging them on the skewer so that it can stand up on the sausage end. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make about two-dozen skewers.
Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/antipasto-sausage-skewers-recipe/index.html
PEPPERMINT MOCHA CUPCAKES
This recipe stood out to me HUGE - Mine and Becky's favourite Starbucks Coffee - The Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha...well here is the cupcake version!
Ingredients:
- FOR THE CUPCAKES:
- 1-¾ cup All-purpose Flour
- 2 cups Sugar
- ¾ cups Cocoa Powder
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- ½ cups Vegetable Oil
- 2 whole Eggs
- ½ teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ teaspoons Peppermint Extract
- 1 cup Freshly Brewed Hot Coffee
- FOR THE PEPPERMINT WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING:
- ¾ cups Whipping Cream
- ½ cups Butter, Softened
- 4-½ cups Confectioner's Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
For the cupcakes:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 24 regular cupcake tins with paper liners.Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and whisk together.In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine.Divide the batter and fill the liners 2/3 full. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on wire racks and turn out to cool completely.For the frosting:Cool the bowl and beaters in the freezer for a few minutes. Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add confectioner’s sugar with the mixer on low speed. Add peppermint extract. Increase speed to medium and beat until frosting is smooth and uniform.Gently fold in the whipped cream with a spatula until well-incorporated. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fit with a large star tip and decorate cupcakes as desired.
Source: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/holidays/peppermint-mocha-cupcakes/
