I found these four fabulous appetizer ideas at Pilsbury.com. The site is full of great recipes for entertaining anytime of year. Here are my faves but check out the site to see what you like here>
Dill Havarti-Shrimp Appetizers
Prep Time: 20 Min
Total Time: 20 Min
Makes: 24 appetizers
Ingredients
- 24 pumpernickel cocktail bread slices
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 6 slices (about 8 ounces) dill Havarti cheese from deli
- 24 medium or large cooked shrimp, thawed if frozen and tails removed
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill weed
Directions
- Heat oven to 400°. Place bread slices in jelly roll pan, 15 1/2×10 1/2×1 inch. Bake 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp.
- Mix mustard and honey; spread over bread slices. Cut cheese into 2-inch squares. Top each bread slice with cheese, shrimp and bell pepper. Sprinkle with dill weed.
- Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
If you can’t find the dill-flavored Havarti, you can use regular Havarti or you might try Gouda for a flavor change.
Notes: Ask the deli to layer paper between slices of cheese to prevent the slices from sticking together. – Feathery dill was thought by the first-century Romans to be a good luck symbol. Its distinctive flavor and aroma adds interest to this very easy appetizer. Danish Havarti is a wonderful mild, nutty cheese that is enhanced when combined with the pungent flavor of the dill weed.
Fig and Blue Cheese Appetizer Tarts
Prep Time: 30 Min
Total Time: 1 Hr
Makes: 16 tarts
Ingredients
- 3 oz 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel; from 8-oz package), softened
- 2/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (3 oz)
- 1/4cup Smucker’s® Sweet Orange Marmalade
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 16 dried Mission figs, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
- 1 can (10.1 oz) Pillsbury® Big & Flaky refrigerated crescent dinner rolls (6 rolls)
- 1/2 cup Fisher® Chef’s Naturals® Chopped Pecans
Directions
- Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix cream cheese and blue cheese with fork until well blended; set aside.
- In 1-quart saucepan, stir marmalade and vinegar over low heat until mixed; stir in figs. Cook over low heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until figs are softened. Remove from heat.
- Remove crescent dough from package, but do not unroll. Cut roll of dough into 16 slices. On 2 ungreased cookie sheets, place slices 2 inches apart. Press center of each slice to make indentation, 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
- Place 1 heaping teaspoon cheese mixture into each well. Top cheese with about 1 tablespoon fig mixture and 1 1/2 teaspoon pecans.
- Bake 15 to 19 minutes or golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack; cool 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Holiday Appetizer Wreath
Prep Time: 20 Min
Total Time: 55 Min
Makes: 16 servings
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup chive-and-onion cream cheese spread (from 8-oz container)
- 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
- 2 cups Green Giant Select® frozen broccoli florets (from 14-oz bag), thawed, finely chopped and patted dry with paper towel
- 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon sesame seed
- Fresh rosemary, if desired
Directions
- Heat oven to 375°F. Cook bacon as desired until crisp. Drain on paper towel; crumble bacon and set aside.
- Unroll both cans of dough; separate into 16 triangles. On ungreased large cookie sheet, arrange triangles with shortest sides toward center, overlapping in wreath shape and leaving 4-inch round circle open in center (see diagram). Crescent dough points may overlap edge of cookie sheet. Press overlapping dough to flatten.
- Spread cream cheese spread on dough to within 1 inch of points. In small bowl, mix crumbled bacon, broccoli and bell pepper; spoon onto widest part of dough. Pull end points of triangles over broccoli mixture and tuck under dough to form ring (filling will be visible). Carefully brush dough with beaten egg; sprinkle with sesame seed.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. With broad spatula, carefully loosen wreath from cookie sheet; slide onto serving platter.
- Garnish with fresh rosemary. Serve warm. Store in refrigerator.
Notes: Keep the crescent dough refrigerated until you are ready to work with it. Chilled dough is much easier to work with than dough warmed to room temperature.
Sun-Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Appetizers
Prep Time:15 Min
Total Time:40 Min
Makes: 20 appetizers
Ingredients
- 1 (12-oz.) can Pillsbury® Grands!® Jr. Golden Layers® refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 oz. (1/2 cup) crumbled goat cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried pesto seasoning
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Heat oven to 375°F. Separate dough into 10 biscuits; separate each evenly into 2 layers, making 20 dough rounds. Press each in ungreased miniature muffin cup.
- In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, goat cheese, tomatoes, onion flakes and pesto seasoning. Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise mixture into each dough-lined cup. Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake at 375°F. for 10 to 16 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from muffin cups. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
