Party Panache, 3 Easy Party Appetizers

October has been a busy month and I’ve had to take some short cuts and come up with  appetizers that are party worthy, yet easy to put together

Photos are very limited, but I wanted to share these easy and “people popular” tasty bites with the busy holiday season upon us

alabama-vignette

Saturday is game day at our house and this past Saturday it was a breezy 70 degrees and we watched football outside on the patio with a quick rigged up TV brought out from the kitchen

I would love to have a fancy outdoor set up, but our patio is usually too hot or too buggy… so this is far from fancy but it sure is fun to be outside

patio-tv

We even had our own half time show by our fiddle playing friend who was wearing his Crimson Tide sweater…or was that a Ken Bone sweater???

leo

We noshed on BBF Bites, as in Bacon, Bleu Cheese & Fig Jam on toast- it was a last minute addition from things we had on hand— bacon and blue cheese in the fridge, and fig jam and bread from the pantry

An instant appetizer that tastes great warm or at room temp, can sit out for a long time, but will be gobbled up before you can take proper photographs!

bbf-bites

White Cheddar Cranberry Fondue is so easy to make and is perfect for holiday gatherings

white-cheddar-cranberry-dip

Served with Rosemary Crostini, it’s a real flavor explosion

It’s also our favorite color combo, crimson and white  🐘  🏈  🐘

rosemary-crostini-1

The Cranberry Sauce is easy peasy to make, and only 10 minutes!  Then put the cheeses and sauce into a mini crock pot or small casserole dish and let everything melt together as it cooks

cranberry-white-cheddar-dip

While the cranberry sauce is simmering, slice a small diameter bread, like a baguette into thin slices.  Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh rosemary.  Lightly toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes

rosemary-crostini

The Sour Cream Bacon Dip is similar to so many sour cream dips but this one gets a kick from hot sauce and which leaves you wondering what the secret ingredient is…

Sour Cream & Chive Bacon Dip

Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 6-8 slices bacon cooked*
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 2 tsp hot sauce
  • 4-5 green onions sliced
  • 8 oz. cheddar cheese grated

Instructions
 

  • Cut bacon into small pieces. Combine all ingredients and stir gently to blend well. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving to blend flavors. Leftover dip will keep for up to 1 week in refrigerator. Serve with crackers and crudites.
  • *cook bacon on a parchment lined baking sheet at 350 for 15-25 minutes until done. Drain well on paper towels. Wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 days before using if desired.
Keyword 5 minute prep, appetizer, bacon dip, easy party dip, sour cream and chive dip
sour-cream-chive-bacon-dip

Serve it with chips, crackers, veggies, it’s great on anything!

BBF bites

Watch these sweet and salty bites quickly disappear!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 6 slices bacon cooked and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup fig jam
  • 6 slices bread of choice such as multigrain, sour dough, white, white, french, ciabatta
  • 2-3 oz crumbled bleu cheese

Instructions
 

  • Toast bread very lightly, until it feels firm but hasn’t started to brown. Spread with a thin layer of fig jam. Top with blue cheese crumbles. Cut bread into bite size pieces, each slice will yield 4-6 bites. Top each bite with a bacon piece. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 24-30 bites
Keyword appetizer, bacon, bleu cheese, crostini, easy appetizer, fig jam
bbf-bites

White Cheddar Cranberry Fondue with Rosemary Crostini

THE perfect holiday appetizer!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

Cranberry Sauce

  • 1 bag 12 oz. fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 T orange juice
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • 4 T water

Dip

  • 1/4-1/2 cup cranberry sauce
  • 8 oz Vermont white Cheddar cheese grated
  • 8 oz. cream cheese cubed

Rosemary Crostini

  • small diameter baguette or rolls I used pretzel stick rolls from Trader Joe’s
  • olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • fresh rosemary sprigs

Instructions
 

Cranberry Sauce

  • Cook cranberries with the rest of ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat stirring occasionally and keeping pan partially covered.. Cook until berries burst, about 15 minutes. Stir with a whisk to help break down berries and thicken sauce.

Dip

  • Place ingredients in a greased small slow cooker or baking dish. Stir to combine. Cook on low or bake at 350 for 10 minutes and stir again. Once ingredients have been blended continue to cook dip until desired temperature is reached. Serve warm with Rosemary Crostini

Rosemary Crostini

  • Cut bread into thin slices. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Top with a few rosemary leaves. Bake at 300 degrees for 5-10 minutes, until toasted but not hard.
Keyword cranberries, fondue, holiday appetizer, hot dip, Thanksgiving, white cheddar
sour-cream-chive-bacon-dip

These recipes will have you mingling with your guests in no time

Thanks for stopping by!

🐘   🍒   🍇   🏈   🐷   🍒   🎅🏻   🍇   🏈   🐷   🍒

I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:

Celebrate and DecorateRustic and Refined,

Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Cooking and Crafting with J&JThe Scoop,   A Stroll Thru Life 

Tickle My TastebudsWow Us Wednesday  Crafty Design-O-Rama

Full Plate ThursdayWork it Wednesday

Poofing the Pillows,  Get Your DIY On,    Your Inspired Design

Share it One More Time

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Comments
24 Responses to “Party Panache, 3 Easy Party Appetizers”
  1. Jodi says:

    A perfect gathering !! Did you win?

  2. It’s not a party without dip! Sounds good:@)

  3. Very timely post with these quick but tasty appetizers as we enter into the busy entertaining season. Thanks Jenny! I especially want to try the cranberry fondue. Genius!

  4. Jenna, Roll Tide! Love your Bama Game Party outdoors! Since I love cranberries, your fondue looks delicious! You are a fabulous entertaining maven! Have a wonderful Thursday!

  5. Belle Bleu Interiors says:

    Jenna, all of your appetizers look delicious! I am always trying to think of different appetizers to make and yours sounds yummy. Thanks for sharing the recipes! I hope that you have a happy and blessed day!!!

  6. Your halftime show is terrific! And these recipes look awfully good. At this time of year, I’m looking for things like this!

  7. Yum, looks like a delicious afternoon at your house!

  8. Kitty says:

    I love your easy peasy style, Jenna, and all the appetizers sound great. How fun to have your own halftime show with your fiddle playing friend!

    • I have gotten so lazy lately Kitty, all the fast and easy recipes are what I’m turning to 🙂 Our fiddler also plays guitar, piano and played Santa for the grands last year, he’s very multi talented! >

  9. Mary says:

    All your easy party appetizers are perfect for football season Jenna! I can eat fig jam with a spoon and I love it paired with a savory cheese and bacon or prosciutto! Your TV set up on your patio is perfect enjoying the game and cooler temps 🙂 We’re back in the 80s this weekend…ugh. Hope your enjoying some Gulf breezes and views this weekend 🙂

    • It was 90 yesterday in B’ham Mary, and the bushes in our backyard are dying, the drought has finally caught up to us. I’ve got to get back to the coast and cool off! Happy Halloween!!! I don’t want to pack my cauldron away:( >

  10. Sandra Garth says:

    I’d be perfectly satisfied noshing on all of this. A while back a fondue pot at the thrift store insisted on coming home with me and it’s about time I used it.

  11. Now at our house, we’d happily eat your food and listen to the fiddling but we’d be cheering for the Aggies. 🙂

  12. Chef Carol says:

    Jenna, my daughter went to A & M and my son~in~law went to Alabama, so this is always a tough weekend. As she says “a house divided”! Good food always makes it easier. Thanks for sharing at Your Inspired Design.

  13. Oh this sounds delish! I love that you all headed outside to watch the game and enjoy the weather! Thank you so much for sharing at Celebrate Your Story!

Trackbacks
Check out what others are saying...
  1. […] usually make a hearty dip for afternoon noshing, like this White Cheddar Cranberry Fondue, so perfect because it’s Alabama red & […]

  2. […] Bacon, Bleu & Fig Toast Squares […]

  3. […] White Cheddar Cranberry Fondue can be made and served […]



Leave a Reply

Discover more from The Painted Apron

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading