There's no home cook who hasn't been through at least one holiday meal gone awry. Like the time one of us mixed up baking powder and cornstarch -- a disaster, to say the least.
We suppose we could stick to our tried-and-true standards -- but part of what we love about the holidays is the chance to try new things.
Not ones to give that up, we've come up with a different solution: make-ahead hors d'oeuvres we can rely on to impress our guests if the rest of the meal is in distress. Here are 8 of our favorites.
If you were to put out a bowl of these crunchy, smoky, spicy little nuggets at a cocktail party, it's likely they'd be gone in under five minutes. Aliwaks has taken an already brilliant idea (fried chickpeas with smoked paprika) and run with it. You also fry strips of lemon zest, fresh thyme leaves and later thinly sliced garlic to mix with the chickpeas, paprika and salt. This leads to an array of crispy little bursts of flavor, each more fragrant than the last. - Amanda & Merrill
Serves 4
2 cans chickpeas
1 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon zest in strips
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 sprig fresh thyme
Coarse salt to taste
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1. Drain chickpeas and set on paper towels over a colander to dry throughly (can be done 1 day in advance).
2. Heat oil in large pan (preferably cast iron) to 355 degrees F or until oil makes bubbles when you drop in 1 chickpea.
3. Add lemon zest, thyme sprig, and chickpeas in batches so the pan doesn't crowd. Fry about 5 minutes until crunchy and golden.
4. Remove from oil, drain well over colander or sieve. Add garlic to the pan and fry till golden.
5. Toss with smoked paprika & salt, adding more to taste if necessary. Serve warm.
Save and print this recipe on Food52 here.
Creamy Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
These stuffed mushrooms are the kind of coveted hors d'oeuvres that go all too fast at a party -- so it's a good thing this recipe makes enough for a big crowd. - Amanda & Merrill
This is an easy hors d'oeuvre for when you just don't feel like whipping up a tray of canapés or an elegant cheese plate -- and they go great with beer. - Amanda & Merrill
These delicate, crumbly thumbprints are the perfect combination of sweet and savory, as their names suggests -- they're like a great cheese plate all wrapped into one crunchy little morsel. - Amanda & Merrill
The thyme-spiked chevre and crackly spiced pecans are perfect foils for sticky sweet Medjool dates. Amanda called them "thirsty-making" and therefore ideal for an open house. - Amanda & Merrill
We know what you're thinking: a pita chip is a pita chip, right? Wrong. This recipe is neither fussy nor overwrought, but it stands out. We wholeheartedly endorse pairing these with cheese -- although they're just as addictive on their own. - Amanda & Merrill
Starting with the recipe on a box of cereal, I tweaked the proportions and experimented with a few different, and slightly more "gourmet," additions, taking inspiration from one of my favorite recipes for spiced nuts from the New York Times. Here are the results - may they fortify you and your loved ones this football season! - Merrill
