Holiday Nibbles

[CatPoet]

Standard  holiday nibbles here are  nuts, raisins, figs and  dates.   I dont  like dried figs nor dates that much.   Off course gingerbreads , lots of sweets like  knäck ( an almond toffee), kola ( a toffe with no almond and with butter)  and  ice chocolates  ( a melty version of chocolate cups)

[David Ross]

Here are the basics for the hot crab dip.  Just general guidelines, add less crab if you like.  I use whole milk or half and half to thin the consistency.

 

2 8oz. packages cream cheese.

8 oz. sour cream (you need this to add some tang)

1 tsp. dry mustard

About 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice

About 2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

3 cloves garlic, crushed

Milk to thin consistency of dip

Meat from 1 fresh Dungeness crab, cooked

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Some people add cheese and then bake this in a casserole, another tip for a hot holiday nibble that you can put out on the buffet table and keep it warm.

[ChocoMom]

Wow, that crab dip sounds amazing!!!  I think that is going on my "to make" list. 

 

For this year, my original plans were: Figs dipped in dark chocolate with a sprinkle of the Himalayan Pink salt. (sweet nibble) Those are wildly yummy. 

The salty/savory will probably be the ricotta boats.  I found this in some amazing cookbook years ago- but I can't recall which one. Puff pastry "boats"- you have to use the handle of a wooden spoon to shape while they're hot; then pipe garlic/basil seasoned ricotta onto each boat; garnish with slivers of sundried tomato; fresh basil, red onion, and blk olive. Very colorful, very tasty.

 

I like doing the baked brie with pears/cinnamon/honey; but I can pretty much hork that down all myself. Not a great idea to make, me thinks.

[gulfporter]

Medjool Dates are beautiful and easy to come by this time of year.  You can stuff them with just about anything and get very creative.    

 

I often use cream cheese with grated orange peel, sweetened ever-so-slightly with some XXX sugar.  I split the larger dates in two, fill with the cheese, then roll in toasted pecan pieces.  I dip some half-way in melted dark chocolate (with or without nuts).

 

For savory, I use goat cheese mixed with fresh mint...a quick zest of lemon on top works well with the savory ones.  

 

I keep the ingredients on hand for the entire season; you can whip up a batch in a few minutes when you get some holiday drop-ins.  

[gfweb]

Funny you should mention it. I just made up a tray of dates stuffed with mexican chorizo and wrapped in bacon for a thing we are having tonight. 6 minutes at 500 F broiler. 

 

[rotuts]

""  mexican chorizo ""

 

what the brand in your area ?  cant find it here   use TJ's  'vegerarian'  gets a B 

 

back in CA it was every where :

 

Brand A  ' so cheep almost free '  primary ingredient : Pig Lymph Nodes.  always wondered were they went

 

Brand B  ' still cheep '  primary ingredient  : pork

 

I avoided other animals Immune System, when I can

 

but have no data on its health or not so health benefits.

[Smithy]

gfweb, what a great idea! Our oven/broiler is dead (woe is me). Can you think of a reason this wouldn't work on a grill?

[gfweb]

The chorizo brand is Tia Angelita "toloqueno" bought from the local Mexican chain. Much higher class stuff than the crap in the plastic tube in the supermarket (in which I've found obvious nerve and artery, hopefully not beef, but pork as labeled).

 

(As I know you know, Rotuts,) Mex chorizo is an uncooked sausage that is completely different from Spanish or Portuguese which is bought already cooked and smoked.

 

On a grill?  I think so, but I'd worry that the bacon wouldn't cook evenly.  I'd get the baking pan real hot before putting in the food and perhaps turn it once.

[gfweb]

More holiday nibbles from our thing tonight.  Cookies and cakes not shown.  Meatballs MIA as well.

 

Sweet potato tartlets

 

Candied pecans

 

Pickled Veg

 

Date/chorizo/bacon things

[Dejah]

Just finished making my traditional "nibbles": Moroccan Spiced Cigars and Curry Chicken in Puff pastry.

 

 

 

These are now added to the "outside larder", along with 12 doz handrolled shortbread cookies (gave out 12 doz), and 3 9x11 trays of Birdseed Bars. Now onto mince meat pies and butter tarts...

[David Ross]

Boy I sure would like recipes for the filling in your Moroccan and curried chicken nibbles.

[CatPoet]

Naga almonds, so easy to make and  according to those who dares, really lovely.

 

Heat the oven to 225 C.  In a pot  add  200 ml water,  6 teaspoon of salt, 1 dried naga chilli or other less evil chili, 2 teaspoon of oil ,  cook this up and simmer  for  5 minutes, you need  poke the chilli a bit with a spoon.   Then add 200 gram of almond with skin, leave for 3 minutes, drain and  roast in the oven for 10 minutes.  Taste and realise it doesnt get painful until the four nut and then it gets hot.

[liuzhou]

Sausage Rolls

 

Although I will eat them any time of year.

[Anna N]

One of my Christmas gifts was a bounty of nuts. I knew exactly how to take advantage of such generosity!

Delicious for snacking or to perk up a winter salad.

The recipe can be found on Epicurious.

[ElsieD]

I love spiced nuts. I made a batch yesterday and the recipe I used also included ginger, cinnamon, cloves and honey rather than corn syrup. It is a recipe from Food and Wine, the magazine published by the LCBO.

[Okanagancook]

On 2014-11-30 at 8:14 PM, Smithy said:

 

I think this may be the recipe you mean: Jaymes' Caramel Popcorn recipe, on RecipeGullet.

It's that time of the year for this delicious addictive caramel popcorn.  Got a batch in the oven right now.  Makes a great gift.

[btbyrd]

My mother always made these around the holidays: 

 

 

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH...    "Holiday nibbles."

 

Nevermind.

[cakewalk]

Sometimes recipes can be so weird:  "5 dozen (one 11-ounce package) Hershey’s Kisses, foil removed"

 

No. Leave the foil on. Really. 

[MelissaH]

1 hour ago, cakewalk said:

No. Leave the foil on. Really. 

Especially if you have guests with metal fillings who you really don't like!

[MetsFan5]

A 'clean out the pantry' Chex Mix. Didn't have any nuts so I used store bought roasted chickpeas. Pretzel sticks, corn and rice Chex, pretzel sticks and a couple handfuls of lightly crushed pita chips in lieu of bagel chips. 

 Extra butter and extra worcheshire. 

[lindag]

Chex mix, for me, is irresistible.

Edited December 23, 2017 by lindag (log)

[kayb]

You should be here. I have three gallon bags of it.

 

[lindag]

I buy the pre-made savory cheese Chex mix and then add Spanish peanuts to it.  

[Okanagancook]

The caramel corn.  It's all gone now 

 

[Katie Meadow]

On 12/23/2017 at 6:14 AM, lindag said:

Chex mix, for me, is irresistible.

 

Once in a blue moon I surrender to the charms of Chex mix.  Mostly I like it plain and simple, with just a bit less salt than most recipes call for, but I also like Lisa Fain's (Homesick Texan) recipe for Chipotle Lime Texas Trash, adjusted to taste. She has a heavy hand with the smoked paprika and chile, so I use a bit less. Also I don't like corn nuts (ever) nor do I like cheerios in the mix. I do like her idea of subbing a little bit of bacon grease for some of the butter. 

 

Personally I think chex mix  has to be warm from the oven to be really good, and any chex mix that comes ready made in a package is horrid.