Hi everyone,
Hope you’re having a great week! I roasted a whole chicken on Sunday and had a bunch of breast meat left over, so I made a really fantastic chicken salad that we’ve been having on sandwiches for lunch all week. I shredded the chicken and mixed it with diced Honeycrisp apple, celery, onion, a generous amount of parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. To keep it a little lighter, I used half Greek yogurt and half mayo.
I served it on toasted sourdough with some sliced banana peppers, which added a really nice pop of acidity, plus a pickle spear and a few potato chips on the side. It’s been so yummy, and I definitely recommend it!
With the holidays on the horizon, I thought I’d share some of my favorite appetizers today. There’s a good mix of flavors and dishes here, so I hope you find something that feels like the perfect fit for your table.
But first, here’s a recipe for tuna sushi bites, my favorite way to eat sushi at home! Seasoned sushi rice and creamy spicy tuna get layered onto crispy seaweed for an easy, fun bite. They’d make a great holiday appetizer too, but they’re also a really yummy lunch. I hope you give them a try!
As always, my cookbook Maxi’s Kitchen is now available for purchase at your local bookstore or online:
Thank you so much for your support 🤍
What I Cooked Last Week! ↓
Tuna Sushi Bites
My favorite way to eat sushi at home! Seasoned sushi rice and creamy spicy tuna get layered onto crispy seaweed for an easy, fun bite.
You can download the PDF recipe above and watch the video here :)
Wonton Egg Drop Soup
Homemade pork wontons and silky egg ribbons in a cozy, comforting broth. The filling makes extra for the freezer, and in a pinch, you can always sub in frozen wontons!
Mom’s Queso
My mom’s go-to queso is creamy, cheesy, and ready in 15 minutes. It’s made with a simple béchamel, so it’s not overly heavy and stays silky and smooth.
Broccoli Mac and Cheese
This is my favorite mac, and I’m so excited to share it with you! There’s an entire pound of broccoli to perfectly balance the creamy, cheesy sauce.
5 Appetizers to Make This Holiday Season 🎄
When we host, I always like to have something out on the counter for when guests arrive so everyone has something to nibble on. That could be a cheese board, some olives and nuts, or a cold appetizer like the shrimp spring rolls or avocado cucumber wonton crisps below. Then, 15 to 20 minutes after everyone arrives, I like to have a hot appetizer coming out of the oven. Here are five of my favorite apps for this season, including a few you can set out ahead of time and a few hot from the oven.
Spinach and Artichoke Crostini
I fell in love with this method of baking crostini in the oven. You spread the topping onto the bread, then coat the baking sheet with a generous amount of olive oil and rub the bottoms of the crostini in it. As they bake, the bottoms get super crispy and crunchy while the tops get nice and melty. These are always a hit, and you can assemble them ahead of time and bake them off right before you’re ready to serve.
You can find the recipe here.
Avocado Cucumber Wonton Crisps
These are so light and delicious, and they’re one of my favorite appetizer recipes I’ve developed over the past few years. You can fry the wonton crisps ahead of time, so all the hard work is done. Then make the salad shortly before guests arrive (you don’t want the avocado to turn) and plate them up once everyone’s there. They’re super crispy and crunchy, with flavors everyone will enjoy.
You can find the recipe here.
Cheesy Spinach Dip
This dip is so easy and always such a hit. It’s creamy and cheesy, but there’s tons of spinach in there, so it doesn’t feel overly heavy. It goes great with tortilla chips or crackers, or you could even serve it with crostini.
You can find the recipe here.
Healthy Shrimp Spring Rolls
My family makes these a lot, especially when we do an Asian tapas-style menu on Christmas Eve. They’re a really light, refreshing way to start a meal, almost in place of a salad, since they’re packed with crunchy vegetables. You can prep all the ingredients and make the sauce ahead of time. I’d assemble the rolls within an hour of guests arriving, then keep them in the fridge under a damp paper towel so the rice paper doesn’t dry out.
You can find the recipe here.
Parmesan and Leek Puff Pastry Pinwheels
These are so simple because you’re using store-bought puff pastry, which always makes things easier. It gets layered with cream cheese, Parmesan, and leeks, rolled up like a jelly roll, sliced into pinwheels, and baked. They’re easy, delicious, and would pair well with a Thanksgiving or Christmas menu.
You can find the recipe here.
I hope one of these fits the vibe of your holiday meal! I’d also love to hear about your favorite holiday appetizers, since I’m always looking for new ideas. If you make something really great, let me know. I’d love to give it a try.
Thanks so much and sending tons of love!
Maxine