1. Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeños
These creamy, spicy treats will make a big difference at your Christmas table. They taste incredible with the right amount of spiciness and decadent texture.
Serves 6 | Prep. Time 20 min | Cooking time 15 min
Ingredients
- 1 pound jalapeños, halved and seeded
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound cottage cheese
- 1 medium egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder Pinch of nutmeg
- 20 bacon strips, thinly sliced
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, salt and pepper to taste, egg, onion powder, garlic powder, and nutmeg.
- Stuff the peppers with the filling. Wrap bacon over each pepper.
- Bake the stuffed jalapeños for about 15 minutes. Serve warm.
Nutrition
(Per serving) Calories 104, fat 29 g, carbs 8 g, sugar 3 g, Protein 35 g, sodium 1781 mg
2. Stuffed Mushrooms
This is a vegetarian appetizer for Christmas and it’s as good as any meat dish. It’s so easy to make for a crowd and can be made up to a day ahead of time.
Serves 6 | Prep. Time 20 min / Cooking time 30 min
Ingredients
- 1 pound white mushrooms, cleaned
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- ½ cup diced celery
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 4 ounces herb cream cheese
- 2 tablespoon butter, melted
- ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Put a baking sheet with parchment papers.
- Cut off the stems of the mushrooms and finely chop them. Place them in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat with the 4 oil.
- Stir in the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook for about 5-6 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped parsley and remove from heat. 5. Transfer the mixture into a me-dium-sized bowl. Stir in the herb cream cheese and breadcrumbs, and season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the mushroom cups over the prepared baking sheet. Fill each mushroom with the filling.
- Drizzle some extra olive oil on top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese to taste if desired. Bake for about 20 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition
(Per serving) Calories 233, fat 20 g, carbs 5 g, sugar 2 g, Protein 9 g, sodium 99 mg
3. Caramelized Onion
Dip one of the best things you can serve on your Birthday table as an appetizer is a yummy dip. Not just any type of dip, but a rich and flavorful caramel onion dip best served with some chips.
Serves 8 | Prep. Time 10 minutes / Cooking time 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, room temperature
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup chives, diced
Directions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and melt the butter on medium to low heat.
- Add the sliced onions and stir in the sugar. Cook for about 35-45 min until the onions browned in color.
- in medium mixing bowl, stir in the cream cheese with sour cream until smooth. Season with onion powder, garlic powder, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the caramelized onions and mix until combined.
- Serve with chips of your choice.
Nutrition
(Per serving) Calories 262, fat 24 g, carbs 9 g, sugar 5 g, Protein 3 g, sodium 132 mg
4. Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bruschetta
Pumpkin is our best friend over the holidays, and there are tons of recipes you can make with this delicious vegetable. One of the best appetizers is roasted pumpkin with herbs topped on a crusty slice of bread spread with some cream cheese. Yum!
Serves 8 | Prep. Time 10 minutes I Cooking time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- ½ pound pumpkin, sliced into wedges
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 slices rustic loaf bread, toasted
- 8 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (177°C). Put a baking sheet with parchment papers.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the pumpkin wedges and stir in the salt and pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and olive oil.
- Toss everything together until well-combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes until the pumpkin is well-roasted and soft. Set aside.
- Spread each slice of bread with the cream cheese and top with the roasted pumpkin slices.
- Sprinkle with the dried oregano and drizzle with the olive oil before serving.
Nutrition
(Per serving) Calories 101, fat 3 g, carbs 7 g, sugar 1 g, Protein 1 g, sodium 93 mg
5. Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts
Water chestnuts are sweet and kind of nutty in flavor, but when you roast them with some bacon, you will get a wonderful crispy texture. This appetizer is perfect for the holidays and will amaze your guests with its presentation.
Serves 16 | Prep. Time 20 min | Cooking time 20 min
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 8 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, and water chestnuts. Let it soak for 15 min.
- Drain well and wrap each chestnut in a bacon strip.
- Arrange the wrapped chestnuts on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until crispy.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition
(Per serving) Calories 62, fat 4 g, carbs 3 g, sugar 2 g, Protein 4 g, sodium 454 mg
6. Parmesan-Crusted Brussels sprouts with Dip
These little bites are full of flavor, coated with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and then baked to perfection. You can also make it in an air fryer for a quick and healthy.
Serves 6 | Prep. Time 20 Min / Cooking time 25 Min
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, rinsed and trimmed
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest for the dip
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Put a baking sheet with parchment papers.
- Add the flour to a medium mixing bowl and coat the sprouts with it.
- In another medium mixing bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, parmesan cheese, and lemon zest.
- Coat the Brussels sprouts in the lightly whisked eggs and then coat in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with some olive oil and bake for about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, combine the sour cream with the lemon juice, chives, and parsley. Season them with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the Brussels sprouts with the sour cream dip sauce.
Nutrition
(Per serving) Calories 297, fat 21 g, carbs 16 g, sugar 2 g, Protein 9 g, sodium 684 mg
