What Are The Best Appetizers For A Holiday Party? Cooking Our Favorite Hors d’Oeuvres At Home

Who doesn’t love a great appetizer – but do you get stumped on what to serve? Are you looking for something a little more exciting than crudites and a cheese board? This week, we’re sharing our go-to appetizers for festive hosting. These are small bites that you can easily make (or even buy!), that will encourage your guests to graze and linger for “just one more bite.” By the end of this episode, you’ll: Walk away with a go-to list of 16 appetizers you can mix and match for any kind of gathering - whether you’re hosting or headed to a potluck Learn how to create a mix of homemade, make-ahead, vegetarian, and store-bought options Discover nostalgic classics like sausage balls and roasted chestnuts, as well as unexpected spicy treats like a flavorful edamame starter and an Indian-inspired snack mix Press play now to discover an appetizer game plan for your next December gathering! *** This week's episode is sponsored by Burlap & Barrel ! We rely on Burlap & Barrel for the spices we cook with the most, because their quality really does make everything taste better. This time of year, we find ourselves reaching for a few favorites again and again. Royal Cinnamon goes into our holiday gingerbread cookies, overnight oats, and we even add a pinch to our French press coffee in the morning. It’s naturally sweet and fragrant and makes everything taste like a treat. We love to add New Harvest Turmeric to our rich, brothy vegetable soups, steamed rice, and big pots of coconut red lentils. It adds that unmistakable golden glow and warmth that always makes friends ask, “What’s in this dish?” And Cured Sumac is our secret for roast chicken — especially when it’s sharing the table with freshly fried latkes. Its lemony, earthy tartness is the perfect lively counterpart to those decadent, crispy potato pancakes. If you want to stock up, Burlap & Barrel is offering a rare holiday deal through December 31st for new customers: buy any two spices and get a free jar of Royal Cinnamon with code CINNAMONFF (just add the cinnamon to your cart first). *** LINKS Snacky: Two-ingredient crackers from The Big Man’s World Indian Snack Mix (Chewda) by Aarti Sequeira, from Food Network Maple bourbon chestnut and dates from Justine Snacks Miso-maple walnuts from Epicurious Veggie/Easy: Orange marinated olives by Carolina Gellen Black bean, orange peel edamame from Food 52 Nostalgic: Anchovy aioli by Not Quite Nigella to serve with and crudités or endive Classic sausage balls from All Recipes, and the “ Million Dollar” version from Southern Living Cheesy: Parm crusted butter beans by Justine Doiron Brussels sprouts and ricotta toast from Epicurious Store Bought Help: Tinned fish with Triscuits and cornichons from the Prune Cookbook via Amateur Gourmet Four dips in one sheet pan from All Recipes Warm/Hot: Sonya’s phyllo triangles with feta and honey Korean-style gochujang meatballs by Foxloveslemons via Food52 Dips: Samin Nosrat’s miso labneh dip A cookie dough ball that you scoop with Nilla wafers, from Delish.com *** Got a cooking question? Leave us a message on our hotline at: 323-452-9084 For more recipes and cooking inspiration, sign up for our Substack here . You can also now find us on YouTube. We love hearing from you — follow us on Instagram @ foodfriendspod , or drop us a line at foodfriendspod@gmail.com! Looking for an in-person Food Friends experience? Book a farmers’ market tour with Sonya in Portland, OR!