Three Quick 3-Ingredient Appetizers (vlog)

Often the best bites at a party are the simplest ones. Ones in which each ingredient can be easily identified at a glance, (an important quality, unless you eat everything and don’t mind an occasional surprise) the canapé isn’t overly complicated and is easy to eat.

Tidy, bite-sized, and fresh are other qualities of a perfect little appetizer. I’m also partial to cheese, and nuts, apparently, as this post demonstrates. OK, I’ll admit it, I love nibbling my way through the holidays! Canapés are a must at events whether the occasion is an open house, a church reception or a rocking Christmas party.

Making appetizers isn’t work, as far as I’m concerned, but perhaps that is because I avoid the really finicky ones. Yes, it can be  repetitious to reproduce the same little item over and over, but it’s rewarding to see them all lined up.

And I’ll tell you a trick…I’ll often have all the ingredients prepped and a platter on standby for when the first guests walk in the door. As soon as they are settled, have a drink in hand, and offer “Can I do anything for you?”, well, I just steer them towards the ready-t0-be assembled canapés and put them to work!

Guests love to feel included, and since the party always happens in the kitchen, why not capitalize on that and speed up the work? Helping hands are another reason to keep your starters simple. Anyone can prepare the appetizers in this post, and with just three ingredients each, the shopping and prep are easy too!

Endive with Blue Cheese and Toasted Almonds

Here is a vegetarian simple bite that packs a punch. Choose a more mild, creamy blue cheese such as Saint Agur rather then the stronger Gorgonzola and these will disappear faster than you can make them.
5 from 18 votes
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Course: Appetizer
Keyword: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 15kcal
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

  • 2 heads purple endive
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 50 grams creamy blue cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and toast almonds until lightly golden. Cool. Note: this can be done up to a week in advance and the nuts stored in an airtight container.
  • Cube blue cheese (this works best when the cheese is cold), making the portions as generous or small as you like. Allow to come to room temperature before serving to ensure the maximum flavour can be appreciated.
  • Remove the outer leaf from the endive and trim about 3/4 of an inch off of the base. Discard. Pull apart endive, layer by layer, and arrange leaves on a platter or tray.
  • Place a cube of cheese at the base of the endive and top with a few toasted almonds. Serve at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 15kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

 

Almond & Cream Cheese-Stuffed Olives

Here's a fun appetizer that can be assembled with ingredients most of us have on hand over the holidays: olives, almonds and cream cheese. The recipe comes from one of my new favourite cookbooks Perfect One-Dish Dinners by Pam Anderson. Watch out though, the perfect combination of brininess, creaminess, and crunchiness makes these stuffed olives highly addicting!
5 from 18 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 4 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 24kcal
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

  • 24 large green olives
  • 24 roasted salted almonds
  • 3 oz cream cheese

Instructions

  • Remove pimento (or in my case, a nut) from each olive and trim the bottoms so that they stand upright.
  • Scrape an almond tip over cream cheese to pick up 1/4 teaspoon or so.
  • Stuff almond into olive and set onto a serving tray. Repeat with remaining olives.

Notes

Makes approximately 24, minus the ones you eat during prep.
Do ahead: Covered and refrigerated, these hors d'oeuvres can be made several hours in advance.

Nutrition

Calories: 24kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 63IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

 

 

Cheddar & Hazelnut Stuffed Apricots

This one-bite appy comes together quickly with no mess. Choose dried apricots that are soft, buy the oldest cheddar you can afford and be sure to toast the hazelnuts; your guests will be talking about these stuffed apricots until the New Year.
5 from 18 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Method
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Calories: 48kcal
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

  • Dried apricots
  • Aged cheddar
  • Hazelnuts

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and toast hazelnuts for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
  • Slice cheddar into 1/2 inch pieces and reserve.
  • Using a sharp paring knife, slit the apricot half open to reveal where the pit once was. Place a piece of cheddar and a toasted hazelnut inside the dried apricot and place on a platter. Repeat as necessary. Serve at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 48kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 31mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 288IU | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

 

Look for more ideas for simple and fresh finger food on Monday!

This post is brought to you by High Plains Bison. When you’ve had enough of finger food, sink your teeth into a lean and flavorful bison steak. It’s healthy, wholesome, and 100% natural.

Do you serve finger food over the holidays?

 

 

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30 Comments

  1. These are almost too pretty to eat!!

    But I would eat them. Because they also look yummy.

    I love how easy they are to make.

  2. I always like your vlogs, but it’d be better if I could also see your pretty face. 😉

    I love how simple these are. Perfect for adding on to more elaborate and time-consuming appetizers or for getting something out quick for last-minute guests as well. Thanks for sharing!

  3. Oh, these look fabulous! This is the sort of appetizer that tastes so much richer and more decadent too, and it’s all natural.

    We went to a gourmet restaurant in Duluth last year as a family and ordered a fancy appetizer on the recommendation of the waiter. It sounded bizarre but we took his word for it and LOVED it. We practically licked the plate. It was brie, maple syrup, figs and walnuts, with simple organic crackers to scoop it all up. Ever since then, I’ve had fun experimenting with cheese with flavors like maple and odd combinations. I’m adding these to the list! 🙂

  4. The apricots sound so good! I really like your tip for including guests in appetizer preparation – I never know what to get people doing when they ask to help, but I know they want to contribute – that’ a great way to get them in the kitchen with something simple and easy.

  5. Pingback: Last Minute Christmas Meal Inspiration | Good Life Eats
  6. I would love to try to apricot appetizers, however, I don’t like hazelnut, can you recommend something else? Thanks!

  7. I was looking for something new fo my party on saturday, I guess this post is good shot, thanks 🙂

  8. 5 stars
    Friends over small get together this past weekend. Used the endive w/bleu cheese as one of the treats.

    A hit !

    Thanks!

  9. 5 stars
    This is a great read, thank you for posting.I love almonds, not only for their taste but also the fact they can boost brain health as well as maintain healthy bone structure. I will be certainly trying this out over the weekend. Thanks, John