Nothing says it’s a special occasion quite like platters of bite-sized pick-up-with-a-toothpick delights. Having several party starters is one of the fun joys of a social gathering, yet many fall into a rut of the usual ho-hum cheeses, dips, and spreads. Here are nine ways to have perfect bite-sized delights for your next holiday event.
Texas Twinkies
Texas Twinkies are far from their namesake sweet cakey treat. This Lone Star starter is a jalapeño stuffed with onion-laced ground beef and cream cheese and wrapped with salty-savory bacon. Baked until the bacon is crispy and the jalapeños’ filling is hot and bubbling, Texas Twinkies will outshine your average jalapeño popper! Get the recipe by clicking the link here.
Brown Sugar Bacon Little Smokies
It only takes three ingredients to get a seriously delicious appetizer. With these Brown Sugar Bacon Little Smokies, take the average appetizer cocktail sausages and give them an impactful punch with a sweet and savory duo of brown sugar and bacon. Wrapped with bacon and then dusted with brown sugar, these smoked sausages bake up in the oven until they get a satisfying crispy crunch. If you want a detailed set of instructions, click the link here.
Crispy Mushroom Cup Appetizers
These Crispy Mushroom Cup Appetizers will be a treat your guest won’t be able to step away from! Store-bought phyllo pastry shells are filled with a savory mixture of mushrooms, shallots, sherry, cream, and cheese. Baked until the cheese is melted, and the pastry shells get a golden hue, the appetizers will outshine your standard doldrums cheese board any day! To get the recipe, click the link!
Texas Nachos
This recipe for Texas Nachos does not disappoint! Every chip comes with every single ingredient in every bite! No more searching for toppings among a mass of soggy, unseasoned chips. Here each chip is topped with the works — beef, refried beans, cheese, tomatoes, and herbs. Baked until the cheese is melted through, the nachos then get a final garnish of sour cream and pickled jalapeño before making their debut with a bowl of spicy salsa! Curious about the recipe? Then click the link here!
Roman Gnocchi Bake
Homemade pasta without the fuss of a pasta machine? Then you’re in the right spot! These Roman Gnocchi Bake are a polenta-based dough that comes together similarly to a biscuit but is instead rolled into a log, sliced, and baked in the oven. While warm, they are topped with a quick homemade parsley-laced garlic butter. The recipe’s ingredient list and set of instructions can be found here.
Pimento Cheese Bites
The Southern classic pimento cheese spread is transformed into a poppable party starter with this recipe for Pimento Cheese Bites. Phyllo pastry puffs are filled with a pimento-peppered cheese mixture and baked in the oven until warm and bubbly. After eating one (or several) of these bites, you won’t want to eat pimento cheese any other way! Get the recipe by clicking the link here!
Chicken Pot Pie Muffins
When one thinks of pot pie, the image of a large pie that’s dug in by the whole family comes to mind, but with these Chicken Pot Pie Muffins, the classic dinner is your newest party appetizer. A creamy vegetable and chicken-laced filling is partnered with the perfect amount of buttery pie crust. Your muffin pan is the form for these party appetizers as pie crust is molded into the muffin wells filled with the chicken vegetable mixture and then topped with more pie crust. Baked until the crust is golden and flaky, this appetizer needs no addition other than a garnish of flaky sea salt! To get the recipe, click the link!
Cheesecake Party Pinwheels
If you want a sweet treat to break up the monotony of savory appetizers, turn to this recipe for Cheesecake Party Pinwheels! Flour tortillas are the neutral base for a cheesecake-like filling studded with fresh berries. Rolled into a log and then sliced, these pinwheels are as pretty as they are tasty to eat! Find the recipe over here.
Baked Ziti Skewers
Baked ziti that’s not in a casserole dish? Yes, you read that correctly! These Baked Ziti Skewers take your classic baked ziti and make them into a hand-held party starter. Cooked ziti are skewered onto sticks and then topped with marinara for flavor and tons of cheese. Baked until bubbly, the cheese melts and forms a crispy gooey topping that binds everything together on the skewer. A bite of this appetizer is like eating the topped crispy cheesy portion of a baked ziti casserole, it’s that good! All of the recipe’s step-by-step instructions can be found here.