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25 Holiday Party Appetizers: Small Bites For Elegant Entertaining

First Posted: 12/09/2011 11:33 am   Updated: 08/31/2012 10:48 am


Holiday entertaining is all about lots of food, drink and jubilation! It's a time to gather family friends and even good neighbors and acquaintances. And parties don't have to be formal affairs with sit-down dinners and prim and proper manners. They can be fun, simple and completely casual. Cocktail and appetizer parties are a great way to entertain (holiday sweater party anyone?). A number of small bites, dips, spreads, savory tarts and a few drinks are all you need. And you don't have to break the bank either -- have guests bring their favorite bottle of wine and you're all set with the drinks part. Now for the food!

Whether you're the kind of person who has the holiday party that everyone wants to attend or are a first-time host or hostess, we have a collection of recipes to suit all your needs. You'll find recipes for big-batch appetizers (like fondue, cheese spread and bean dip) as well as elegant hors d'oeuvres (smoked trout canapes, oysters Rockefeller and phyllo pastries). The best part is all these recipes can easily be eaten with your hands, either picked up with your fingers or with the help of a skewer. Most of the recipes can be prepared ahead of your party or small gathering, making it that much easier to entertain flawlessly. This way you can spend more time with your guests instead of in the kitchen!

Happy holidays!

How do you like to entertain during the holidays? Let us know in the comments.

Caramelized Onion And Cheese Squares
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This rustic tart is topped with caramelized onions, two cheese (blue and goat) and fresh thyme. Pair it with red wine for a perfect holiday party appetizer. You'll be surprised as to how easy the dough for the crust comes together. But in a pinch you could use store-bought pizza dough.

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06:39 AM on 12/22/2011
You can't be serious! I don't have the money for these and I don't find them very Christmasy at all! scallops on potao pancakes? Please! I am doing cheese balls, my famous cereal mix, peppermint butter mints, (instead of pepermint bark) fudge and homemade pecan logs and cranberry orange bread. Where do you people come up with these ideas?
GraceNotes
We live for books.
09:33 AM on 12/21/2011
I was going to do baconr-wrapped dates for New Year's Eve, but I think prosciutto sounds better instead.
I will also make Mark Bittman's chopped liver pate, using 1 lb of chicken livers, broiled and chopped, with one diced onion, one cored, peeled and diced apple sauteed in olive oil with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. Blend all that in the food processor and serve in a crock with toast. Simple and elegant, but not expensive.
03:48 AM on 12/19/2011
I've tried to view the "25 appetizers" here on AOL and Firefox, but I don't see any slideshow or images or anywhere to click to see them. Help! I'm hungry! :-)
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halfpricefaustian
Voted for Obama. Waiting for Godot.
02:57 PM on 12/11/2011
I was hoping those were rice balls. I have seen them made with curry spices and were quite good. Lots of good ideas in that recipe.
01:48 PM on 12/11/2011
what happened to cheese whiz on a cracker?
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01:31 PM on 12/11/2011
How nice ...25 goodies only the 1% can afford to buy ...caviar anyone?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Numskll
I am not a blanket for a chair
02:29 PM on 12/11/2011
That's silly. Clearly you did not look at the recipes.
01:08 PM on 12/11/2011
Yumm, Oysters Rockefeller!!

Think I'll drive up to Tomales Bay today and pick up a bag of 50
12:22 PM on 12/11/2011
Shrimp & veggie tray's enough for me. You can keep the fried, sugary treats for yourself. Let's share the wine.
03:52 AM on 12/11/2011
Horse divers!
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kareemachan
watashi ha tororu ga oroka da to omoi masu。
08:59 AM on 12/11/2011
Horse's ovaries!
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BarefootArizona
DEFIANTLY Paleo
03:04 AM on 12/11/2011
Our taste buds are so that we can eat bland food. We are using "shock and awe" with our taste buds when we eat all of these fried, sugary, and spicy foods.

Eating is a BODILY FUNCTION, not an event. Would you rather your body and mind be happy or your taste buds?
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Charlotte Bonnie
Agnostic. Turkish-American. Classical liberal. Gay
05:55 AM on 12/11/2011
Well I'm a low carber who goes to gym 5 days a week. I'd make an exception for the New Years and stuff myself with that stuff. They'd make a good carb cycling day.
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BarefootArizona
DEFIANTLY Paleo
12:48 PM on 12/11/2011
I know, I was just giving people something to think about. I knew I was gonna get hated on for it, so in the words of Chazz Michael Michaels , LET IT RAIN!!!
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tweeksmom
Pppfffftttttttt.....
07:18 AM on 12/11/2011
Every party has a pooper, that's why we invited you....
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BarefootArizona
DEFIANTLY Paleo
12:18 PM on 12/11/2011
Thanks for inviting me. I was just giving people something to think about. Sorry ; )
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kostya
Ineluctable modality of the visual
02:36 AM on 12/11/2011
Ah yes, cream cheese, that Scandinavian standard. Why not try surströmming and send your guests fleeing for the exits? http://www.sarok.org/users/recept/tags/surstr%C3%B6mming/
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01:46 AM on 12/11/2011
As if ANYbody has leftover risotto lying around.
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Muirwoods
My Micro-bio is empty........meh
11:35 AM on 12/11/2011
Haha, or leftover wine!
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SapphireBlaze9
I'm a fractal artist: fractalblaze.deviantart.com/
01:28 AM on 12/11/2011
Fancy. As in, too fancy to afford half the ingredients. Only the meatballs seem like a good deal.
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Godweiser
The eyes have it.
06:11 AM on 12/11/2011
Cheese stuffed pate a choux isn't hard, but it takes a little technique with the pastry bag. Not sure I'd go by the recipe so much as my training on that, though. You're better off googling a good pate a choux and finding a decent cheese stuffing to pipe into it.
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halfpricefaustian
Voted for Obama. Waiting for Godot.
03:08 PM on 12/11/2011
Ok, I admit I didn't read the recipe, but usually gougere (or however it's spelled) is made by mixing the cheese into the hot roux before adding the eggs. If you add fresh cracked black pepper while the water is boiling and maybe some nutmeg, you really don't need a filling. I just use a teaspoon to put it onto the baking sheet, then brush with some egg wash.
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AlphaDoc
"Rightwing hypocrisy" is redundant.
06:44 AM on 12/11/2011
Agreed. And who has the time to make most of that stuff?
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BrooklynChef
08:34 AM on 12/11/2011
It's about making time and doing something special once a year,
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Retromancer
PLEASE INSERT COIN
01:28 AM on 12/11/2011
Dear God, the caramelized onion thingies and the pistachio-cheese thingies have my mouth watering. The extent of my cooking skills begins and ends with Hot Pockets but I'll gladly marry anyone who can make those aforementioned items.
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BarefootArizona
DEFIANTLY Paleo
03:06 AM on 12/11/2011
Scooby will teach you how a human should eat: http://scoobysworkshop.com/
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BrooklynChef
08:36 AM on 12/11/2011
It's the holidays... lighten up dude
01:41 PM on 12/10/2011
Link to the recipe is broken.