Ham Mousse

Have a couple of little end pieces of ham in the fridge?  Chop them up and easily convert the flavorful meat into a spreadable dip or sandwich filling.  A breeze to make - whip it up earlier in the day and spread the Ham Mousse on crackers accompanied by a crisp white wine, with friends, relaxing the porch, on a beautiful warmish evening…you get the picture.

Caramelized Grand Marnier Sauteéd Mushrooms

Mushrooms and garlic are delicious together.  Sautéed in salted butter and finished with a splash of Grand Marnier for caramelized sweetness, this dish highlights both ingredients.

As your guests are enjoy their aperitifs, give them a show, that is, show them how entertaining these Grand Marnier Mushrooms are to make.  A few years ago, part of a sailing crew provided some pre-dinner drama - the Grand Marnier they set on fire got so hot that the plastic light bulb cover from the kitchen hood softened and mishaped and fell into the mushrooms!  After that incident, they sauteéd mushrooms elsewhere.

Pao de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)

Pao de Queijo with asiago cheese and rosemary

Pao de Queijo, Brazilian Cheese Bread are more like  popovers - little puffs of delicious chewiness (from the tapioca flour/starch).  Best enjoyed warm, these little guys make great appetizers complimentary  to both white and red wines.  This blender version of the pao is easy and fast and the batter can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week; re-blend well before using.

Grissini

Grissini are thin, long, crisp breadsticks that are fun to nibble on with a glass of something in hand.  They’re the perfect appetizer as no plate or cocktail forks are needed to enjoy them.  These are similar to the grissini found in Torino, Italy where they are brought to your table before they bring you anything else. these breadsticks can be flavored with coarse salt, ground pepper, parmesan cheese or garlic powder. 

If you can make simple yeast bread, you can make these.

Two Bar Nuts

 

Danny Meyer's two NYC restaurants, Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern, 4 blocks from each other, serve two different signature bar nuts. 

Union Square Cafe's bar nuts, recipe courtesy of Nigella Lawson, is a touch sweet, salty, and aromatic with fresh rosemary.  Spices and dark sweetness offer complexity and heat to this adaptation of Gramercy Tavern's  bar nuts.

Both are addictive.
Both go well with almost anything that you're drinking. 
And both are very easy to make.

Sugar-Coated Spiced Pecans

When these nuts are baking in the oven, your house will be the best smelling place in your neighborhood.  The aromatic cinnamon and vanilla aromas take you to the European Christkindlmarkts where street vendors sell these warm sugar-coated nuts in cone-shaped bags to shoppers bundled to stay warm in the crisp wintery temperatures.