Relish Recipes — Appetizers

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!

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)

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.

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.

Tourtière is a French-Canadian pork pie and is a traditional part of the Christmas Eve celebration. We love to make this dish every holiday season and our friend Rose Murray developed this festive appetizer version that’s perfect as a cocktail bite. Rose authored many bestselling cookbooks including “Rose Murray’s Canadian Christmas Cooking: The Classic Guide To Holiday Feasts” but it’s “A Taste Of Canada: A Culinary Journey” from which today’s recipe comes. These turnovers are best served hot with a our Mrs Bridges Cranberry Sauce with Port or Stonewall Kitchen Country Ketchup to temper the richness of the pastry.