Chef Ashley Hart and chef Amy Strife, co-founders of Book-A-Cook, talk about some easy holiday appetizers to impress guests at your next party, as well as snacks that are good to keep around the house if you have an unexpected guest.
For more information, visit www.bookacookct.com. Two recipes are below.
Baked brie
Ingredients:
1 sheet of puff pastry defrosted
1 (8 ounce) wheel of Brie
½ cup of chutney or good jam
¼ cup of walnuts – toasted (optional)
Preparations:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Slice Brie in half down the middle using a piece of floss or a warmed knife.
- Roll the puff pastry out slightly till it’s about 1/8 inch thick. Place half of the Brie in the center of the puff pastry.
- Spread the chutney over one side. Sprinkle nuts over top. Replace the top half of the Brie so the two slices of Brie are sandwiching the chutney and nuts.
- Wrap the puff pastry around the brie so all the corners meet in the middle. Flip over and place on a lightly greased baking sheet so the sealed side is underneath.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until light brown and crispy.
- Serve with crackers, apple slices or raw veggies.
Parmesan Crisps
Ingredients:
¾ cup (6 ounces) Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper, cayenne, or smoked paprika (optional)
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line two half-sheet pans with lightly greased parchment paper or non-stick silicon baking mats.
- Using a box grater, grate half the Parmesan cheese using the side that finely grates. Grate the other half of the cheese on the side of the grater that makes long thin shreds of cheese. Mix together in a bowl.
- Spoon small rounds, about a tablespoon each, onto the prepared baking sheets. Press down with the back of a spoon. Dust with black pepper, cayenne or smoked paprika if using.
- Bake for 5 to 6 minutes until golden brown. Allow cool slightly. Use a spatula to carefully remove from the baking sheet.