Southern Spoonful: Impressive Apps

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The story below is a preview from our November/December 2023 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you! 

Editor's Note: Becky is bringing her recipes to life in our new cooking videos on our YouTube page! Watch her IMPRESSIVE HOLIDAY APPS video below!

These fancy appetizers can be made ahead, leaving you more time to prepare your fabulous holiday meal.

While waiting for the main course to be served at your holiday soirée — the roasted turkey, baked ham, grilled beef tenderloin — what will you serve your guests? They will be wanting a nosh or a nibble to go with the apéritifs you will be serving before dinner. May I suggest this array of flavorful treats to serve in festive holiday style.

Prosciutto Gruyere Palmiers

Makes 20

  • 14-ounce package Dufour frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
  • Vegetable spray
  • 1 cup finely chopped prosciutto
  • 2 cups finely grated gruyere cheese
  • 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray cutting board with vegetable spray, wipe off any excess. Place puff pastry on cutting board. Orient the puff pastry horizontally so that the short sides of the rectangle are by your right and left hands.

Spread Dijon mustard evenly on the puff pastry.

Sprinkle prosciutto evenly on the puff pastry. Press down the prosciutto lightly into the pastry.

Sprinkle gruyere cheese over the prosciutto and press down lightly.

Fold the sides of the puff pastry square halfway towards the center, doing the same on each side.

Fold the sides again so the two folds meet in the middle. Then fold one of the halves over the other half.

Take a sheet of wax paper and place over the folded dough. Use your rolling pin to gently compress the layers together.

Wrap the puff pastry in waxed paper and chill in freezer for 2 hours. Remove puff pastry from freezer and unwrap waxed paper. Place puff pastry roll on a cutting board.

Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into 36 even pieces (approximately ¼” thick).

Place the sliced palmiers onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Crack the egg in a small bowl, add water and gently whisk. Using a pastry brush, gently brush each palmier with the egg wash.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown on the outside.

Crab Salad in Belgian Endive

Yield: 24 appetizers

  • ¾ pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over to remove any pieces of shell
  • ½ cup Duke’s mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup very finely chopped celery
  • 1 tablespoon non-pereil capers
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill + dill sprigs for garnish
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning + more for garnish
  • 3 heads Belgian endive or Ruffles potato chips

Place crabmeat in a bowl. Add mayonnaise and mix lightly with a spoon (try not to break up the lumps of crabmeat too much). Add celery, capers, dill, Old Bay Seasoning, salt and pepper. Lightly stir to combine all ingredients.

Cut stem end off of Belgian endive. Separate Belgian endive leaves. Wash leaves and gently pat them dry with a paper towel.

Place Belgian endive leaves on a salad plate. Fill leaves with crab salad. Garnish with a sprinkle of Old Bay Seasoning and fresh dill sprigs.

If you’d like a more casual presentation, crab salad is also delicious served with Ruffles potato chips.

Spicy Glazed Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Makes one dozen

  • 8-ounce can whole water chestnuts, drained
  • 8 teaspoons Virginia Chutney Company hot peach chutney or red pepper jelly
  • 12 pieces precooked bacon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place bacon strips on a cutting board.

Spread ½ teaspoon hot peach chutney or red pepper jelly on each piece of bacon.

Place 1 whole water chestnut at the end of each piece of bacon. Roll bacon around the water chestnut. Repeat until all water chestnuts are wrapped in bacon.

Place bacon wrapped water chestnuts on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Spread a little hot peach chutney or red pepper jelly on top of each bacon wrapped water chestnut.

Bake water chestnuts for 15-20 minutes in a 425-degree Fahrenheit oven. Watch carefully so they do not burn.

Remove from oven and serve with cocktail picks.

Holiday Ruby Sipper

Makes one cocktail

Chill champagne flute in freezer for 30 minutes.

  • 1 Storied Goods orange zest and cherry sugar cube
  • 3 ounces Ocean Spray sparkling cranberry juice, chilled
  • 3 ounces champagne, chilled
  • Cranberries, ginger beer and sugar for garnish

Place sugar cube in the chilled champagne flute.

Pour sparkling cranberry juice in flute. Stir until sugar cube just begins to dissolve.

Top with champagne.

Garnish with frosted cranberries

Frosted cranberries: Place 16 fresh cranberries in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring water to a boil and barely cook cranberries (try not to let them burst but if a few burst it is okay). Remove from heat and drain. Cover cranberries with ginger beer and place covered in the refrigerator for an hour. Remove cranberries from ginger beer and roll in sugar. Place on cocktail pick for service.

Want to learn how to make even more delicious appetizers, including hidden jewel cheese balls and tiny tomato tarts? Check out the latest issue, now on newsstands, or see it for free in our digital guide linked below!

The story above is a preview from our November/December 2023 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!