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Relish Recipes — Appetizers

Homemade Eggnog

Posted by Donna-Marie Pye on

Homemade Eggnog
Eggnog is pretty much synonymous with Christmas. What other time of year do you get to drink something that’s basically custard spiked with alcohol? A good eggnog is made up of just a few simple ingredients – alcohol, sugar, cream and raw eggs. Now if you are skeptical of drinking something with raw eggs, take note that the Centre of Disease Control (CDC) tested copious amounts of homemade eggnog  to find that the addition of alcohol basically wiped out the risk of any contamination. And if all this isn’t enough to entice you, December 24th is National Eggnog Day. So go ahead and indulge a little – it’s the holidays.

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Cranberry Spiced Snack Mix

Posted by Donna-Marie Pye on

Cranberry Spiced Snack Mix
You can't go to a holiday party without a bowl of this fun party snack mix appearing. The original recipe came out in 1952 when it appeared on the back of the Chex cereal box. It's been tweaked and revised many times over the years and this version is no different. Feel free to put your own spin on it by skipping the nuts or making it vegan or gluten-free. It rarely lasts long once the bowl is put out!

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Ricotta & Roasted Red Pepper Crostini

Posted by Donna-Marie Pye on

Ricotta & Roasted Red Pepper Crostini
This is an easy appetizer I've made for years. Creamy ricotta cheese provides the background for sweet roasted red peppers. Add some peppery arugula for a different flavour and a salute to the Italian flag - highlighting red, white and green. The toppings work beautifully with traditional crostini or with pan-fried polenta for gluten-intolerant friends and family - Emily Richards (from Per La Famiglia - Memories and Recipes of Southern Italian Home Cooking)

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Sautéed Dates with Olive Oil & Sea Salt

Posted by Donna-Marie Pye on

Sautéed Dates with Olive Oil & Sea Salt
This recipe comes from our May Book Club read called Delancey by Molly Wizenberg.These dates are a great back pocket trick to make because they are quick, elegant and endlessly adaptable. Serve as an appetizer with warm olive oil and a good amount of crunchy Maldon salt to offset the sweetness or as a delicious dessert after a meal. Try adding them to a salad involving with orange segments, pistachios, some good French cheese and soft buttery lettuce. For a final option, they are delicious at breakfast in a puddle of cold, plain yogurt.

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Bacon Wrapped Chicken Wings

Posted by Donna-Marie Pye on

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Wings

Donna-Marie couldn’t tell you the difference between a first down and a touchdown (Maria’s a far better football fan) but she earns her keep at the party for the game day food she brings along.  

These bacon-wrapped chicken wings first made their appearance at a grilling class with our favourite firefighter chef, Patrick Mathieu and are featured in his cookbook “Firehouse Chef – Favourite Recipes From Canada’s Firefighters”. He left the wings whole and wrapped the bacon around the wingette/drumette portion, leaving the wing tip sticking out. This allows for a little “handle” to hold onto the wings. However, if you want them to go further, we like to split them, and just wrap ½ a slice of bacon around each wing half. The homemade sauce uses pantry staples (yes, even bourbon seems to be a pantry staple in our kitchen) and the wings are simply tossed in the sauce after baking. Be sure to save a little extra for dipping too.

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