Thanksgiving Appetizers on the Lighter Side

Like many other American families, my family tends to stick with a very set menu for Thanksgiving dinner every year: Roast turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green peas, rolls, pumpkin pie, and apple crisp. The type of roll varies from year to year; the sweet potato dish used to be squash, and apple crisp used to be apple pie, but other than that, this has been the menu since I started hosting Thanksgiving dinner nearly 20 years ago. 

What DOES vary from year to year, however, is the appetizer selection. I generally do some kind of crudite plate in the shape of a turkey:

In addition to the veggie plate, I like to have another appetizer (sometimes two). But since it's so easy to fill up on appetizers and run out of room for the turkey and fixins, I try to keep the appetizers light. Seven years ago, I posted some of my favorite recipes (Thanksgiving Appetizers), but since then I've discovered so many more! Here are some of my latest favorites.

Cranberry Brie Bites

1 (8-oz.) tube crescent dough
Flour
8 oz. brie
1/2 c. whole berry cranberry sauce (seedless raspberry jam is also good)
1/4 c. chopped pecans
6 sprigs fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a mini (24-cup) muffin tin with cooking spray, or line with mini muffin cup liners. On a lightly floured surface, roll out crescent dough and pinch together seams. Cut into 24 squares. Place squares into prepared cups. Cut brie into small pieces and place inside dough. Top with a spoonful of cranberry sauce, pecans, and one small sprig of rosemary. Bake bites until pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Feta, Apple, and Hazelnut Breadless Crostini

1/4 cup hazelnuts
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup cream cheese (regular or low-fat)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
Honey
2 medium sweet apples (Gala, Fuji, and Honeycrisp are all good)
fresh thyme sprigs

Chop hazelnuts and toast in a dry skillet until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool. Combine feta, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest, and 1 tsp honey in a mini food processor or blender, or whip with a hand mixer.

Core apples and slice into ¼ inch thick slices. To prevent browning, rub both sides of each slice with the cut side of a lemon, or toss in a ziploc bag with a teaspoon of lemon juice. Spread a little of the cheese mixture on each of the apple slices. Top with chopped toasted hazelnuts, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with a few fresh thyme leaves and serve.

Honey Mustard Chex Mix

6 cups Chex or Crispix cereal (any combination or rice, corn, wheat, and/or bran)
2 cups pretzels (any shape; break into bite-size pieces if needed)
1 1/2 cups white cheddar Cheez-its
1 cup Melba toast, broken into pieces
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 tsp. dried mustard
3/4 tsp. salt

*Note: Any of the cereals and crackers can be omitted or substituted with your preferred crispy/salty snack: Kix, Cheerios, Goldfish crackers, standard Cheez-Its, mixed nuts, etc. Just keep the overall volume to roughly 10-11 cups.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together cereals and snacks. In a smaller bowl, combine melted butter, honey, Dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, dried mustard and salt. Pour over snack mix and stir until coated. Pour onto a cookie sheet (can line with non-stick foil) and spread out evenly. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes or so. Allow to cool completely and store at room temperature in an air-tight container. 

Antipasto Kebabs

12 cherry or grape tomatoes
12oz jar marinated artichoke hearts
4 fresh basil leaves
¼ lb salami, pepperoni, or summer sausage, cut into bite-size chunks or sliced thin and folded
8 oz mozzarella balls (herb marinated or plain)
12 olives (black or kalamata)

Optional: Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, or pesto for drizzling

Thread the ingredients onto a 6-inch wooden skewer, placing one of each antipasto item on the stick. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil or with pesto before serving, if desired.

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay the rinsed and drained chickpeas on paper towels and pat dry. Spread on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and shake. Return to oven for another 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine seasonings and brown sugar in a small bowl. Remove chickpeas from oven and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with spices and shake pan again to coat chickpeas with olive oil and seasonings. Return to oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until browned and very crunchy.

Deviled Eggs with Bacon

6 hard boiled eggs

¼ cup sour cream

2 teaspoons mayonnaise

1 ½ teaspoons mustard

4 strips of bacon, crisped and crumbled (set aside a small amount for garnish)

⅓ cup chives

Pepper to taste

Salt if needed

⅓ cup cheddar cheese, grated

Chopped chives and smoked paprika, for garnish (optional)

Peel hard boiled eggs and cut into half lengthwise. Scoop yolks into a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients except cheese and mash with a fork until smooth and creamy. Stir in cheese. Transfer egg yolk mixture into piping bags fit with star nozzle and pipe over egg white. Alternatively, you can spoon the mixture into the whites. Garnish with reserved bacon bits, chives, and smoked paprika, as desired.

Fiesta Shrimp Bites

1 cup extra small frozen shrimp (defrosted, peeled, deveined, tails removed)
1 tsp. taco seasoning
2 tsps butter or olive oil
12 round or cup-shaped tortilla chips

¾ cup refried beans

½ cup nacho cheese sauce

¾ cup guacamole

¾ cup diced tomatoes and green chilies (Ro-tel)

Optional: Sliced jalapenos or fresh cilantro for garnish

Toss the defrosted and cleaned shrimp with taco seasoning. In a medium frying pan on medium heat, melt butter then add seasoned shrimp. Cook on both sides for 2-3 minutes each until lightly toasted and cooked through. Set aside.

Arrange the tortilla chips in a single layer on a serving plate. Warm refried beans and spread a spoonful on each chip. Warm cheese sauce and drizzle carefully over chips. Add a spoonful of guacamole and a spoonful of Ro-tel, then top each chip with a shrimp. Garnish with jalapenos or cilantro if desired and serve immediately. 

Crab-Stuffed Cucumber Cups

2 large cucumbers

5 ounces lump crab meat

1 tsp hot pepper sauce (adjust amount to taste)

1 tsp prepared mustard

1 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 Tbsp sour cream

1 tsp lemon juice

1 stalk celery, finely diced

1 spring onion, finely diced (set aside a small amount for garnish)

Salt & pepper to taste

Old Bay Seasoning, to taste

Celery leaves, for garnish

Peel cucumbers in a striped pattern. Cut ends of and slice into 1-1/2" to 2" sliced. With a lemon baller or small spoon, scoop each slice into a cup shape. Arrange on a serving tray. 

Combine remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper and Old Bay, in a large bowl and mix well. Fill cups with crab meat mixture. Sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning and salt and pepper. Add a slice of spring onion and a celery leaf on top of each cucumber cup.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Appetizers

In some cultures, all (or nearly all) holidays revolve around food. In all cultures, at least some holidays revolve around food. If you're American, whether or not you include some kind of hyphenated prefix, chances are that you celebrate Thanksgiving in some form, and if you do, chances are that it involves food. After all, Thanksgiving is a celebration that originated with early American settlers being thankful for having food on the table. So most people celebrate with food. LOTS of food. And the only way to survive a holiday filled with lots of food, is to pace yourself and mix up some of the heavier traditional dishes with some lighter ones.

Since many families celebrate by traveling, and since turkeys can be notoriously uncooperative, Thanksgiving dinner is often preceded by plates of appetizers, so the earlier-arriving guests can nibble while the family gathers, and so the host or hostess doesn't have to listen to the guests' tummies rumbling while he or she frantically checks the thermometer in the bird. But we don't want everyone to fill up before the main course, right? So here are some delicious but light appetizers that will whet your guests' appetites instead of spoiling them.

Chicken Salad on Apples

One of my favorite appetizers, light or not, is thinly sliced Granny Smith apples, cored and topped with your favorite chicken salad (I like to add craisins, mayo, and a little salt) and a candied walnut or pecan. Elegant, light, delicious, and no real recipe needed.

Caprese Sliders

How cute are these little guys? Slice some grape or cherry tomatoes in half, pop a small basil leaf or blob of pesto inside, top with a small chunk of fresh mozzarella, replace to top half of the tomato, and hold together with a toothpick. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze if you want to get fancy. If all you have is large tomatoes, cut them into squares and stack. This dish is extra pretty if you can find yellow heirloom tomatoes to mix in with the red ones.

Cinnamon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Small sugar pumpkins are often available at the grocery store at Thanksgiving, so if you're using real (as opposed to canned) pumpkin for any recipes, save the seeds and make this salty-sweet, crunchy appetizers that your guests will love nibbling on all day long (or at least until it's all gone).

1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds, pulp removed
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 teaspoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Place seeds in a saucepan with water and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes, then drain seeds. Lightly grease a small baking sheet. Once the seeds have cooled slightly, place them in a ziploc bag with olive oil and shake to coat. Add cinnamon and sugar and shake again until evenly coated. Spread seeds into a single layer on baking sheet and roast in a 400-degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden and crispy. Serve immediately.

White Bean and Pumpkin Hummus

Hummus is surprisingly easy to make, and this variation goes well with either pita chips (toasted or not) or dipping veggies (celery, bell peppers, carrot sticks, broccoli, cauliflower).

1 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
2-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves, minced (or 2 teaspoons minced garlic)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth (about 30 seconds).

Ginger Carrot Soup

I love soup as an appetizer. This delicately spicy soup is creamy without being overly rich - enough to warm you up but not fill you up.

1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into chunks (or use baby carrots)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 sour cream (low fat or fat-free is fine)
salt and pepper to taste
fresh chives for garnish, if desired

In a Dutch oven or large stockpot, melt butter and saute onion until soft, 5-6 minutes. Add broth, carrots, and ginger. Cover and bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Add sour cream and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives, if desired.

Sweet Potato Chips with Olive Tapenade

It sounds (and looks!) difficult and involved, but it's really not.

2 medium sweet potatoes, unpeeled
1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted black olives
3 scallions
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Slice the sweet potatoes thin using a mandolin and lay the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray. Brush both sides with olive oil (about a teaspoon). Season with salt and pepper and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes, then turn slices over and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, until golden (watch carefully to avoid burning). Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For the tapenade, place olives, scallions , tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until well combined but still slightly chunky. Top each slice of sweet potato with tapenade and serve.

Lobster Salad on Cucumber Wheels

It doesn't get much more elegant - or light - than fresh lobster salad served on a slice of cucumber. Simply steam a lobster (my grocery store will steam it for you for free), remove the meat, and cut into small chunks, then combine with mayonnaise and some finely chopped yellow bell pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve on thin cucumber slices and garnish with whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. (You can make the lobster salad and slice the cukes ahead of time and keep in the fridge overnight. Assemble right before your guests arrive.)

Caesar Salad Bites

The romaine leaves serve as a built-in plate. Don't go too heavy on the dressing to avoid drips. Simply separate romaine leaves, wash carefully, and arrange on a plate, then drizzle with creamy Italian dressing and top with halved grape tomatoes, chopped cucumber, small croutons, and fresh pepper to taste.

Pear and Brie Crostini

Even when we're talking light appetizers, I can't bear to leave this list without at least one dish that involves cheese and bread. This pear and Brie crostini is still light and fresh. Slice a baguette on the diagonal, drizzle with olive oil, and grill (or broil) until crispy. Arrange on plate, toasted side up. Slice a pear into thin wedges and place a slice on each baguette. Add a small rectangle of Brie. Top with a sprig of fresh thyme (or a sprinkle of dried thyme) and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Zippy Cranberry on Crackers

The unlikely pairing of cranberries with horseradish and Dijon mustard gives this appetizer its "zippy" kick.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 (12-oz) package cranberries, fresh or frozen
1-3 tablespoons prepared horseradish (according to taste)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
assorted crackers

In a large saucepan, bring sugar, brown sugar, and water to a boil over medium heat. Add cranberries and return to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Allow to cool, then stir in horseradish and mustard. Transfer to a large serving bowl and refrigerate until chilled. When ready to serve, spread cream cheese on crackers and top with cranberry mixture.


Happy eating (but not stuffing)!