Category Archives: Appetizers

Appetizers, Bacon

Stuffing Sausage Balls

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Stuffing Sausage Balls are an amazing appetizer and are absolutely delicious! In fact, this easy to make appetizer is so good you can and serve these at your next holiday gathering. With sausage, stuffing, cheese, and bacon rolled into tasty meatballs, these truly make the perfect holiday appetizer that your guests will enjoy! This is a sausage recipe ,but if you prefer hamburger, you could always switch up the meat to be stuffed meatballs. Either way, makes a great holiday appetizer!

Easy Appetizer

As previously mentioned, the stuffing sausage balls are an easy appetizer. There isn’t much cooking involved which makes these a great dish for parties. The preparation consists of mixing the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and forming the mixture into meatballs. Then, all you need to do is pop them in the oven for approximately 30 minutes. Very easy! And you can make prepare the stuffing sausage balls ahead of time to make things even easier on the day of your party.

Ingredients

Something about sausage and holidays seems to just go well together. I’m not usually a big fan of sausage in terms of meat, but I tend to like sausage recipes, when I’m looking for different holiday dishes. If sausage meat isn’t your thing either you could opt for hamburger and make stuffed meatballs instead. Those are equally delicious! For sake of argument, here is the recipe for the Stuffing Sausage Balls:

  • 1 lb Sausage Jimmy Dean
  • 8 slices Bacon6 ounces Dry Stuffing Mix, prepare according to instructions3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded Cooked and diced
  • 6 oz Stuffing Prepare according to instructions
  • 3 cups Cheddar Cheese Shredded

Stuffing Sausage Recipe

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Combine sausage, cooked bacon, cooked stuffing, and cheese in a large bowl. Mix it until thoroughly combined.
  • Roll into balls that are approximately 1 heaping tablespoon each.
  • Place sausage balls on prepared baking sheet, make sure to pack the balls tightly so they hold together as they bake.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

Stuffed Meatballs

Although these stuffed meatballs remind me of Thanksgiving because they consist of stuffing, they actually aren’t specifically a Thanksgiving dish. After all, they don’t have turkey in them! And because they do consist of bacon, you could make these stuffed meatballs any time of the year. Basically, there is no bad time to have bacon.

The stuffing sausage balls are very moist. And they stay moist even as they cool down. Thus, these are a great choice of appetizer to put out for your guests. Of course, eating them while they are warm is the best, but eating them at room temperature is still good too.

You could even go all out and mix up a side of homemade cranberry sauce to dip the stuffed meatballs in. That would really scream Thanksgiving app. Whenever you serve these bite size sausage balls, they are great. And this savory finger foody is a great change of pace from the regular chips and dips!

Holiday Breakfasts

Maybe you ended up on this recipe because you are looking for a holiday appetizer. Well, glad you came here. Now check out some awesome holiday breakfast recipes!

Sausage & Biscuits

Ham, Egg, & Cheese Cups

Lemon Blueberry French Toast Bake

Cinnamon Roll French Toast Bake

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Holiday Appetizers

Here are some other easy to make appetizers that make great options as holiday appetizers. And, yes, they are very easy to make. Pair some stuffing sausage balls, with a charcuterie board, and one of the dips and you have yourself a party!

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Charcuterie Board

Cranberry Jalapeño Dip 

Crab Rangoon Dip

Cocktails That Pair Well

Finally, what would a party be without some yummy cocktails? It would still be a party, but it might be kind of low key. If you want that festive and fun party appeal, mix up one of these delicious drinks:

Tiramisu Martini

Snicker Licker Martini

Black Jack Margarita

Caramel Martini

Don’t forget to leave a reply below or share the recipe with on social media – sharing is caring!

stuffing sausage balls are the best appetizer of stuffing, sausage, bacon, and cheddar cheese and are the perfect party food for game days or holiday gatherings which go great with your favorite cocktail like a dessert martini
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Stuffed Sausage Balls

Stuffed Sausage Balls are an easy to make appetizer that everyone loves! They are the perfect holiday appetizer or make them any time for a special treat.
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Keyword appetizers, holiday
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Sausage Jimmy Dean
  • 8 slices Bacon6 ounces Dry Stuffing Mix, prepare according to instructions3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded Cooked and diced
  • 6 oz Stuffing Prepare according to instructions
  • 3 cups Cheddar Cheese Shredded

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Combine sausage, cooked bacon, cooked stuffing, and cheese in a large bowl. Mix it until thoroughly combined.
  • Roll into balls that are approximately 1 heaping tablespoon each.
  • Place sausage balls on prepared baking sheet, make sure to pack the balls tightly so they hold together as they bake.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
  • ENJOY!
    stuffing sausage balls are the best appetizer of stuffing, sausage, bacon, and cheddar cheese and are the perfect party food for game days or holiday gatherings which go great with your favorite cocktail like a dessert martini
Appetizers, Dip

Cranberry Jalapeño Dip – Unusually Delicious

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Cranberry Jalapeño Dip sounds like an interesting combination, doesn’t it? This dip consists of tart cranberries alongside spicy jalapeños, cilantro, scallions, cream cheese, lemon juice, and cream cheese. The way the ingredients meld together is just extraordinary. This Cranberry Jalapeño dip recipe is the perfect holiday appetizer. It’s such a pretty dish of red, green, and white, it really screams festive holiday dip! Your guests will be drawn to the colors and will be amazed at the contrasting flavors that blend together magnificently in in what seems to be more than a dip, but a cranberry jalapeño salsa.

Cranberry Jalapeño Salsa

This Cranberry Jalapeño Dip also referred to as a creamy Cranberry Jalapeño Salsa. It has many of the same elements found in salsa, like those spicy jalapeño peppers. I’m pretty obsessed with spicy food. I don’t know why, but I just can’t get enough heat on my food. I even love a good spicy margarita from time to time! If you can’t handle spicy, you can tone down this recipe by cutting the number of jalapeño peppers in half and/or eliminating the seeds of the peppers. The seeds are what brings the spicy kick so taking those out of the equation, makes a big difference. Further, the cream cheese acts as a cool down process for those spicy bites.

If you eliminate the cream cheese from the recipe, you will have a fruity, yet spicy salsa. And that spicy salsa happens to pair well with crackers, tostitos, bagel chips, or anything with a salty crunch.

Cranberry Jalapeño Dip Recipe

This cranberry jalapeño dip recipe is one for the books. For real. It has the savory, sweet taste that is highly addictive. If you have a food chopper, you will find this appetizer recipe very easy to make. If you do not have a food chopper, think about purchasing one like this Cuisinart Stainless Steel Chopper. Without a chopper, this recipe is still doable so don’t be upset. However, it will be trickier to cut up the cranberries.

Ingredients

  • 9 oz Cranberries chopped
  • 2 tbsp Cilantro chopped
  • 1/4 cup Green Onions (scallions) chopped
  • 2 Jalapeño Peppers cut up
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 4 oz Cream Cheese softened
  • 3/4 cup Sugar

Instructions

  • Use hand food chopper to chop cranberries. If you don’t have one, try your best to do it with a sharp knife (be careful!) – a food processor is not advised as the cranberries will be too juicy.
  • Chop green onion, jalapeño peppers and cilantro.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, add chopped cranberries, green onion, cilantro and jalapeños.
  • Add sugar, lemon juice and salt on top of cranberry mixture and stir gently until blended.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.
  • Take cranberry mixture out of the refrigerator and stir all ingredients together. Strain out all liquid using a strainer small holes.
  • Soften cream cheese and spread cream cheese over bottom of a small/medium sized glass bowl (it’s pretty dip so it’s nice to see the colors).
  • Pour cranberry mixture on top of cream cheese and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

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Holiday Dips To Serve

If your holiday favorite dishes consist of appetizers and desserts, I’m with you! I could skip the main dish and just eat hors d’oeuvres, dessert, and a delicious drink or two! Some MUST TRY dips this holiday season are the easy to make appetizer, Spinach and Artichoke Dip. As well as the yummy, Cannoli Dip, for dessert. Just serve with some appropriate chips; toasted bagel chips for the artichoke and spinach dip and cannoli chips for the cannoli dip. Easy & DELICIOUS!

Cannoli Dip

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Holiday Appetizers

The holidays are coming and it’s time to start searching for yummy holiday appetizers. Look no further! If you need something in addition to the cranberry jalapeño dip featured here, consider the following appetizers to serve up. These are easy recipes that taste AMAZING! Ready to check them out?

Fig and Goat Cheese Pizza

Charcuterie Boards

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Cocktails

Where there are appetizers, there really should be cocktails! Here are some exciting martinis that are sure to please everyone’s palette. Skip the boring gin martinis or vodka and soda cocktails. Give your guests (and yourself!) something different – and just think, you could save yourself from making a dessert with this tasty dessert style martinis.

Tiramisu Martini

Pistachio Martini

Bananas Foster Martini

Chocolate Amaretto Martini

Don’t forget to leave a reply below or share the recipe with on social media – sharing is caring!

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Cranberry Jalapeño Dip

Cranberry Jalapeño Dip is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy and makes the best holiday dip for an appetizer!
Course Appetizer, Snack
Keyword dips, holiday
Prep Time 10 minutes
Overnight In Refrigerator 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 10 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 9 oz Cranberries chopped
  • 2 tbsp Cilantro chopped
  • 1/4 cup Green Onions (scallions) chopped
  • 2 Jalapeño Peppers cut up
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 4 oz Cream Cheese softened
  • 3/4 cup Sugar

Instructions

  • Use hand food chopper to chop cranberries. If you don't have one, try your best to do it with a sharp knife (be careful!) – a food processor is not advised as the cranberries will be too juicy.
  • Chop green onion, jalapeño peppers and cilantro.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, add chopped cranberries, green onion, cilantro and jalapeños.
  • Add sugar, lemon juice and salt on top of cranberry mixture and stir gently until blended.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.
  • Take cranberry mixture out of the refrigerator and stir all ingredients together. Strain out all liquid using a strainer small holes.
  • Soften cream cheese and spread cream cheese over bottom of a small/medium sized glass bowl (it's pretty dip so it's nice to see the colors).
  • Pour cranberry mixture on top of cream cheese and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.
  • ENJOY!
Appetizers, Dip, Snacks

Spinach And Artichoke Dip

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Easy Dip Recipe

Spinach and artichoke dip is an appetizer that many restaurants and individuals make. There are a variety of recipes for this simple, yet delicious hors d’oeuvre. Some use cream cheese, others use mayonnaise. And of course, there are substitutions for many of the creamy ingredients as well. My spinach and artichoke recipe consists of 5 key ingredients and takes less than 15 minutes to make. It is so simple that even a novice cook can whip this up without a problem. A great easy dip recipe that can be served as a holiday appetizer, an every day snack, or even a topping for steak or salmon at dinner.

Holiday Appetizer

Christmas seems to take over our lives with all the presents to buy, the baking to do, and the decorating. Oh, and let’s not forget all the WRAPPING – ugh – the wrapping is the worst! Anyway, with so much to do and so little time to get everything done, it is quite possible that you won’t think about all the holiday dishes you need to make. A quick and easy holiday appetizer that is sure to please everyone is this spinach and artichoke dip. It’s creamy goodness that is packed with nutrients found in both spinach and artichokes. And the best part is that it tastes DELICIOUS!

Spinach & Artichoke Ingredients

Spinach and artichoke dip is such an easy appetizer recipe! Just a few key ingredients such as frozen (yes, frozen!) chopped spinach, canned artichokes, a block of cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and garlic powder.

  • 10 oz Chopped Spinach frozen
  • 14 oz Quartered Artichokes undrained
  • 8 oz Cream Cheese full fat or reduced is fine
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper or more, if you prefer a kick
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

Substitutions Are Okay

You can certainly substitute ingredients, if you prefer a healthier dip. For example, swap frozen spinach for fresh spinach and chop it up. Additionally, you could use Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese or opt for low fat cream cheese instead of the full fat.

Crushed Red Pepper – personally, I find just a dash of crushed red pepper brings this dip to a whole new level, but you can skip that, if you want. Just add a bit more cheese or a dash of salt to make up for it.

Instructions To Make The Artichoke Dip

This spinach and artichoke dip is very easy to make. If you can heat up soup on the stove, you can pretty much make this yummy appetizer. Additionally, if you are just learning how to cook, this is the perfect recipe to start with. And before you know it, you will be whipping up gourmet meals!

  • Add frozen spinach and entire can of artichokes to a medium pot (including the liquid in the can of artichokes).
  • Cook to a boil and then cook for approx 2-3 minutes longer, reducing the heat to low.
  • Strain the spinach and artichokes.
  • Add spinach and artichokes back to pot and add in the remaining ingredients.
  • Stir well.
  • Serve warm 

How To Serve Spinach and Artichoke Spread

It will probably come as no surprise that the most common way to eat spinach and artichoke dip is with crackers. And there are so many crackers to choose from these days. You could go with a regular cracker such as wheat thins, triscuits, or townhouse crackers (oh so buttery!). However, you might also consider pairing this spinach and artichoke spread on some other types of “bread”

  • Crackers – safe option
  • Tostitos – any type like scoops, multi-grain, cantina, etc
  • Breadsticks, Pita Chips, Bagel Chips
  • Toasted Bread or Baguette
  • Placed on a charcuterie board

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More Appetizers To Make

If you love easy appetizers or just love appetizers in general, you are probably on the hunt for more recipes like this one. Although the ones listed below don’t taste the same as this spinach and artichoke dip, you will appreciate the simplicity of the recipes. Oh, and you will also appreciate the taste factor – these are to die for!

Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Fig And Goat Cheese Pizza

Cocktails And Appetizers

Of course, you need delicious cocktails to go with your tasty appetizers, especially if you are enjoying this at the holidays! Here are some tried and true martinis that are crowd pleasers. They sound exotic and they kind of are. However, they are easy to make so don’t let the fun names scare you off.

Tiramisu Martini

Pistachio Martini

Chocolate Amaretto Martini

Bananas Foster Martini

Don’t forget to leave a reply below or share the recipe with on social media – sharing is caring!

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Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Spinach and artichoke dip is an easy recipe for a dip to be eaten as an appetizer with crackers, bread, or breadsticks. You could also top salmon or steak with this dip for an upgraded dinner. A great recipe for every day or a special holiday app!
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Snack
Keyword appetizers, dips, holiday
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 10 oz Chopped Spinach frozen
  • 14 oz Quartered Artichokes undrained
  • 8 oz Cream Cheese full fat or reduced is fine
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper or more, if you prefer a kick
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add frozen spinach and entire can of artichokes to a medium pot (including the liquid in the can of artichokes).
  • Cook to a boil and then cook for approx 2-3 minutes longer, reducing the heat to low.
  • Strain the spinach and artichokes.
  • Add spinach and artichokes back to pot and add in the remaining ingredients.
  • Stir well.
  • Serve warm with your favorite crackers, bread, or snack chips.
  • ENJOY!
Appetizers, Beef, Hamburg, Meat, Skillet, Stovetop

Cheeseburger Quesadilla Is Better Than A Burger

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A Cheeseburger Quesadilla might just be considered better than a burger. The taste is the same, but the presentation is much more fun! Combining America’s iconic meal into a cheese-a-licious quesadilla just makes this dish a must-try!

Ground beef cooked up and seasoned up with your favorite burger condiments. Next, you layer the meat on a tortilla with shredded cheddar cheese, then get it nice and crispy in a hot skillet. You can add whatever your favorite burger toppings are inside. Perhaps bacon? Pickles? Onions? Whatever you crave on your burger will make an excellent addition to your cheeseburger quesadilla.

Better Than A Burger

My son’s favorite food is burgers. He’s been obsessed for a little over a year now and the obsession is still going strong! He would eat them every day, if allowed. Although I do love a good cheeseburger, I am not up for eating them on a daily basis. However, if we change up the presentation of a yummy burger, I am more likely to circulate them into the dinner rotation more often.

This Cheeseburger Quesadilla is a great way to get your burger fix in a different way. They offer a crispy texture which you don’t get in a typical burger. Additionally, they still have all the cheesy flavor and are scrumptious like a good burger should be.

All About The Cheese

A cheeseburger without the cheese would just be a burger. Who eats plain burgers? I never understood why anyone would opt to skip the cheese. Growing up, we would go to barbeques in the summer and, of course, burgers and hot dogs were served. The hosts would always ask everyone who wanted a cheeseburger and who wanted a hamburger. I never understood why anyone would choose the latter! And if I somehow got jipped out of my beloved cheeseburger and was left with just a hamburger, I was not a happy camper!

Making a great cheeseburger comes with some variables. Cheese is the biggest one and since it’s very subjective based on personal taste, here are 3 of the most common cheeses for our favorite American dish:

American

The most popular cheese for cheeseburgers is American cheese. Although American cheese is not a fancy cheese and has a mild taste, it melts beautifully on the burger. Did you know that most (if not all) fast food restaurants use American cheese on their burgers? It’s true! Hey, 25 million people per day (just at McDonalds) means that American cheese is a great option, when making burgers at home.

Cheddar

Another popular choice for an appetizing burger is cheddar cheese. Cheddar has a stronger flavor. As a result, it has more of a bite. Personally, the bolder the cheddar, the more I’m in love. The extra sharp cheddar cheese is never quite sharp enough for me!

Cheddar cheese can be either a yellow or white color that range from mild to sharp. The more mild the cheddar, the better for melting. The mild cheddar is similar to American cheese in that respect. And if you have picky eaters who prefer a more more bland flavor, they will likely prefer mild Cheddar cheese.

Swiss

Another popular cheeseburger cheese is Swiss cheese. Swiss cheese has a bolder flavor than American cheese and it still melts splendidly. This cheese is known for being a white color with a semi-hard texture. However, the most notable characteristic of Swiss cheese are the holes in each slice of cheese. Although, I love the taste of Swiss cheese, I was always wary of it because it looked as if a mouse had nibbled on it. Maybe that’s just me, but it still makes me wonder…

Regardless of the strange appearance, Swiss cheese is a popular cheese for topping burgers. Most people pair Swiss cheese with sauteed mushrooms on their burgers. The flavors come together and really bring a regular cheeseburger to a whole new level of amazing!

Ingredients

Cheeseburger Filling

  • 1 lb Ground Beef
  • 1/2 cup Onion finely diced
  • 2.5 tbsp Mayo
  • 2.5 tbsp Ketchup
  • 2 tbsp Relish
  • 2.5 tbsp Yellow Mustard
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 3.5 cups Cheddar Cheese
  • 4 Flour Tortillas 10″
  • 2 tbsp Butter

Special Sauce

  • 1/2 cup Mayo
  • 4 tbsp Relish
  • 1 tsp Vinegar White
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 2 tbsp Yellow Mustard
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder

Instructions

Making Special Sauce

  • Mix all special sauce ingredients together.

Cheeseburger Filling

  • Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat.
  • Once beef is cooked, drain grease. Add onions to skillet and cook until softened.
  • Add mayo, mustard, ketchup, and relish, and worcestershire sauce to ground beef and stir to combine. Salt & pepper to taste.
  • Transfer beef mixture to bowl. Wipe out skillet and return to stove.

Making Cheeseburger Quesadilla

  • Butter each tortilla on one side.
  • Place tortilla in pan, top with half of the meat and half of the cheese, then top with another tortilla (buttered side out).
  • Cook for a few minutes on medium high until tortilla is browned and cheese starts to melt.
  • Flip quesadilla & continue cooking until that side is browned and cheese is fully melted. When flipping the quesadilla, use a big spatula.
  • Repeat the same process with the remaining quesadilla.
  • Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges with a pizza cutter and top with your favorite toppings.

Easy Dinner

A cheeseburger quesadilla is a quick and easy dinner that you can serve in a pinch or planned out in your weekly meal plan. All you need is some ground beef (or ground turkey or chicken) and the regular condiments that can be found on the door of your frig for years on end. Oh, right, you also will need CHEESE! And, of course, tortillas. Easy, right? The entire meal cooks quickly and is a family favorite. The only thing they will complain about is the fact that you don’t make this yummy dinner more often!

More Party Food To Love

Cheeseburger Egg Rolls

Crab Rangoon

Ham & Cheese Calzones

Cheeseburger In Paradise

And of course, you need a yummy drink to wash down the game food. A snicker licker martini goes with anything because it’s basically like drinking your favorite candy bar! Try it out, you won’t be sorry:

Snicker Licker Martini

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Cheeseburger Quesadillas

Yummy goodness of a cheeseburger, but in a quesadilla! Perfect for party food, appetizer, lunch, snack, or dinner idea!
Course Appetizer, Dinner, lunch, Snack
Keyword appetizers, easy dinner, lunch ideas, party food
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Cheeseburger Filling

  • 1 lb Ground Beef
  • 1/2 cup Onion finely diced
  • 2 tbsp Mayo
  • 2 tbsp Ketchup
  • 2 tbsp Yellow Mustard
  • 2 tbsp Relish
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 3.5 cups Cheddar Cheese
  • 4 Flour Tortillas 10"
  • 2 tbsp Butter

Special Sauce

  • 1/2 cup Mayo
  • 4 tbsp Relish
  • 2 tbsp Yellow Mustard
  • 1 tsp Vinegar White
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder

Instructions

Making Special Sauce

  • Mix all special sauce ingredients together.

Cheeseburger Filling

  • Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat.
  • Once beef is cooked, drain grease. Add onions to skillet and cook until softened.
  • Add mayo, mustard, ketchup, and relish, and worcestershire sauce to ground beef and stir to combine. Salt & pepper to taste.
  • Transfer beef mixture to bowl. Wipe out skillet and return to stove.

Making Cheeseburger Quesadilla

  • Butter each tortilla on one side.
  • Place tortilla in pan, top with half of the meat and half of the cheese, then top with another tortilla (buttered side out).
  • Cook for a few minutes on medium high until tortilla is browned and cheese starts to melt.
  • Flip quesadilla & continue cooking until that side is browned and cheese is fully melted. When flipping the quesadilla, use a big spatula.
  • Repeat the same process with the remaining quesadilla.
  • Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges with a pizza cutter and top with your favorite toppings.
Appetizers, Chaucuterie Board

Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board Is The Ultimate Appetizer Guests Crave

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A Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board is visually stunning and tastes delicious. Consisting of cheeses, salted meats, olives, breadsticks, crackers, or whatever your heart desires! Your guests will be impressed with your artsy food display and their taste buds will be tantalized.

Holiday Appetizer

If you aren’t sure what to serve at a holiday gathering, consider a festive charcuterie board. Charcuterie boards can consist of whatever you please. If you haven’t invested in one yet, you use any platter or purchase a specific charcuterie board with all the things. However, most people expect to see cheese on a charcuterie board. Because let’s face it, cheese pairs well with just about everything. And who doesn’t love cheese?

For Thanksgiving appetizers, a huge hit is always a cracker and cheese platter with different varieties of crackers, and, of course, cheeses. I always loved serving my cheese plates with pepperoni and olives to give it more of an appeal.

Nowadays, charcuterie boards are so trendy and have really allowed cheese plates to be taken to a whole new level of awesome. I love to turn a regular cheese plate into a fantastic display of salted meats, sweet treats, bringing in spreads, and of course the basics of crackers and cheeses. And for this yummy Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board, this is anything, but a basic appetizer.

Cheeses

The cheese is the standout on any charcuterie board. I love to mix up different colored cheeses as well as different tasting cheeses. A must have is always an Extra Sharp NY Cheddar Cheese. The sharper, the better! Seeing that this is a white colored cheese, I love adding in an orange color like Cheddar Cheese and/or Monterey Jack Cheese which is a marble color cheese. Seeing that I’m a huge fan of Gouda cheese (also an orange-color), I felt compelled to include this cheese into the amazing Thanskgiving Charcuterie Board.

These are my favorite ways to select the perfect cheeses. However, if you prefer different cheeses or a different way of organizing your platter, go for it! Other amazing offerings are brie, blue cheese, flavored cheese (buffalo, habanero, etc etc etc).

Salted Meats

Salted meats are probably everybody’s favorite types of meat. Well, maybe not their absolute favorite because a great steak surely beats pepperoni and cheese! I should rephrase my statement to say that salted meats are everyone’s affordable types of meat.

Salted meats can mean a few different things. Back in the day, people would preserve meat with salt or brine in order to extend the life of meat. After refrigeration came about, salting meat was not as widely used as before. However, there are still many types of meat that we know and love today that are cured with salt such as the popular meats called pepperoni, proscuitto, salami, chorizo, and bacon.

Any of these meats would add an amazing taste and texture choice on a Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board. These salted goodies are not the healthiest choices of meat, but for a holiday appetizer, they will be eaten in small quantities and are, therefore, perfectly fine to indulge in! Further, these aren’t salted meats that guests eat on a regular basis. What better day to dig into delicious meats with yummy cheeses and all the other must-haves than on Thanksgiving?? The biggest eating day of the year!

Additional Pairings

Besides cheese, crackers, and meats, you can offer whatever sweet, spicy, savory items you desire! Mixing and matching is ideal as it gives your guests plenty of options that they will love. Let’s face it, not every person has the same tastes as everyone. Therefore, variety is key for the perfect Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board!

Some other delightful offerings to add to your cheese, crackers, and meat board could be:

  • Olives
    • Black
    • Kalamata
    • Spanish
    • Stuffed olives
  • Spreads
    • Fig
    • Hummus
    • Flavored Cream Cheese
  • Crackers
    • Triscuits
    • Wheat Thins
    • Breadsticks
  • Veggies
    • Roasted Red Peppers
    • Artichokes
    • Marinated Mushrooms
  • Fruit
    • Cranberries
    • Figs
    • Apples
  • Nuts
    • Walnuts
    • Almonds
    • Pecans

More Recipes That Wow

Fourth Of July Charcuterie Board

Pumpkin Pie Martini

Caramel Martini

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Fig and Goat Cheese Pizza

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Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board Is The Ultimate Appetizer Guests Crave

A Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board is visually stunning and tastes delicious. Consisting of cheeses, salted meats, olives, breadsticks, crackers, or whatever your heart desires! Your guests will be impressed with your artsy food display and their taste buds will be tantalized.
Course Appetizer, lunch
Keyword appetizers, holiday
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6 people
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 3-4 types Cheeses different flavors and colors are appealing
  • 2-3 types Salted Meats like Prosciutto, pepperoni, salami
  • 2-4 Spreads Figs, hummus, flavored cream cheese
  • 1 handful Roasted Red Peppers
  • 2-3 handfuls Olives black, kalamata, spanish, stuffed olives
  • Breadsticks and assorted crackers

Instructions

  • Remove the cheese from the fridge 15 – 30 minutes before serving.
  • Arrange the cheeses on different areas of the charcuterie board or large platter.
  • Next, add the salted meats like proscuitto and pepperoni to fill in more of the charcuterie board.
  • Then, start working in the spreads, olives, roasted red peppers, and fruits (if using).
  • Add the breadsticks and crackers so as to fill in the entire board/platter.
  • Rearrange any items as necessary to achieve the desired wow factor.
  • ENJOY!
Appetizers, Chaucuterie Board

Fourth of July Charcuterie Board Is Extra Festive

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Fourth of July Charcuterie Board is the perfect platter to serve at your holiday barbeque. How many times have you thought, what can I bring that will stand out, is easy to make, and won’t take a long time to make? If you are like me, you probably do it for every party you attend!

This fourth of July charcuterie board is absolutely adorable and 100% practical. Everyone loves to eat fresh fruit, especially in the summer time. But who wants to make a huge fruit salad? Not me! Cutting up all those giant melons is a pain in the butt. Not to mention, a large fruit salad costs a small fortune! With this festive tray of red raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, mini marshmallows, and cheddar cheese, you can put a little of something for everyone to enjoy.

What is a Chaucuterie Board?

I only heard of the phrase charcuterie board recently. Yes, I’m extremely late to the cheese board party which is a bummer because I’m a huge fan of cheese boards! These days you don’t want to just serve cheese and crackers, rather, you want to provide your guests with a charcuterie board that is filled with cheese, crackers, and lots of other yummy goodies!

So what is a charcuterie board? Charcuterie is a French word for cured meats. The French have always featured charcuterie boards dating back to the 15th century. A typical French charcuterie board contains a few different (salty) meats, slices of baguette, a few cheeses, a couple of spreads for the bread, and possibly some grapes as well. In the last few years, charcuterie boards have exploded in the US and consist of a variety of different ingredients that can range from the traditional charcuterie board to desserts, and even holiday themed boards. The possibilities are endless and it’s a lot of fun to get creative with the accompaniments. If you are looking for a board that has everything you need, check out this Magnetic Cheese Board that comes with serving utensils.

Ingredients Needed

You could serve whatever you prefer with your fourth of July charcuterie board. I choose a variety of berries that showcase the American flag colors of red, white, and blue. However, if you might also want to add some fresh figs, watermelon, a dipping cup of vanilla yogurt. Whatever you would like to add, do it. This is a creative way to serve food. You are in charge : )

Here is what I used for my fun holiday platter:

  • 1 pint Blackberries
  • 1/2 pint Blueberries
  • 1/2 quart Strawberries
  • 1 pint Raspberries
  • 1 cup Mini Marshmallows
  • 4 oz Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese sliced

When To Serve

You can serve a charcuterie board at a variety of times, some ideas for when to serve this yummy cheese and fruit plates are:

  • An appetizer for a party
  • Light lunch
  • After-school snack for kids and their friends
  • Potluck dish
  • Dessert

Making Your Platter

Making this cheery plate is super easy to do. There is no cooking involved. Honestly, this is so easy that you it really won’t take longer than a few minutes, but that will depend on how detailed you want to go with this.

All you need to do is clean the berries, cut some cheese, and let your creativity take control! You could get really fancy and arrange the berries, cheese, and marshmallows to mimic the American flag. Wouldn’t that be cool?

Here is what you need to get started:

  • Divide each ingredient in half.
  • Place raspberries together, then blueberries, then cheese, etc alternating colors across a chaucuterie board.
  • Take the other half of ingredients and alternating colors, fill in the chaucuterie board so that it is filled.

Charcuterie boards have become popular because they make an impressive statement at a party, yet they are very easy to prepare. Guests gawk at the dramatic display of meats, cheese, crackers, fruits, nuts, etc. And you know what? This is one dish that will not have leftovers! It’s great to have happy guests with full bellies, however, if you are looking forward to a late night snack after your guests leave, you probably won’t be digging into this delicious platter.

More Party Food

If you can’t get enough ideas for what to bring to your next bbq, check out some of my tried and true recipes for different foods. These are easy to make and delicious! Bring yummy dishes that differ from what everyone else is bringing. Stop buying cookies at the grocery store and wow your family and friends with your culinary skills!

Fig & Goat Cheese Pizza
Cowboy Caviar
Cannoli Dip
White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Craisins
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4th of July Charcuterie Board

This celebratory 4th of July chaucuterie board is adorable and tasty! The perfect dish to bring to a 4th of July bbq that kids and adults will enjoy.
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish
Keyword easy side dish, party food
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 1 pint Blackberries
  • 1/2 pint Blueberries
  • 1/2 quart Strawberries
  • 1 pint Raspberries
  • 1 cup Mini Marshmallows
  • 4 oz Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese sliced

Instructions

  • Divide each ingredient in half.
  • Place raspberries together, then blueberries, then cheese, etc alternating colors across a chaucuterie board.
  • Take the other half of ingredients and alternating colors, fill in the chaucuterie board so that it is filled.