Entice Guests with Holiday Appetizers
From our kitchen to yours

Written By Tara Croft
Photographed By Jonathan Fredin

Nothing complements sitting around a decorated Christmas tree with all your family and friends better than the smell of something home-cooked wafting from the kitchen. So we asked our talented home chefs at Cary Magazine to share their favorite holiday appetizer creations. We picked the best of the best, and we hope our winners' recipes will find a welcome place at your holiday celebrations.

Holiday Entertaining Tips & Ideas

To make sure your festive gathering goes smoothly, McCormick & Schmick's Executive Chef Po Wang shared some tips to help you have a successful (and minimally stressful) holiday gathering:

1. Keep it simple. The most important thing about entertaining is actually being able to do just that! Keep the party's menu simple but fun. Pick a few party favorites that are easy to prepare and don't each require baking so that you aren't in the kitchen the whole evening! Try a new spin on old favorites such as seafood macaroni and cheese. Add shrimp and scallops to your favorite macaroni recipe and serve in playful holiday dinnerware. Or prepare traditional cocktail meatballs with veal or lamb. Another fun favorite is a fruit or vegetable salad. Use seasonal produce such as cranberries, apples and pumpkin, and sprinkle with fall spices including nutmeg, cinnamon or brown sugar.

2. Keep it fresh. Visit the grocery store or farmers' market the evening before or morning of your party. Be sure to pick fresh ingredients that smell great, have the right consistency and look good. Not only will this aid in your preparation, but it will make each dish smell and taste its absolute best.

3. Have fun! Parties — and the holiday season — are just that, a fun time to socialize with friends and family. It's one of the sole principles that McCormick & Schmick's is built upon. As the host, it's your job to provide a fun, laid-back atmosphere for your guests to mingle. Once you do that, they will be able to relax and focus on the great spread!

Shrimp Dip
Kim Johnson, Web designer for CaryMagazine.com

1/2 pound pre-cooked shrimp (use whole salad shrimp, or coarsely chop larger shrimp)
1 pound plain cream cheese
1 pound light cream cheese
1 large tomato
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
5 banana peppers (or more to taste)
4 torrido peppers (or more to taste; found in Hispanic markets)

Combine all ingredients in a Crock-Pot on high for two hours. Serve warm with Fritos.

Johnson was given this recipe by her mother, Linda White, who got a variation many years ago from a ship captain's wife when her husband was in the Navy. She tweaked it and personalized it throughout the years, and it became a staple in their home and White's regular contribution to faculty parties.

"She refused to give out the recipe so she would always have something unique to bring," Johnson said, but she was lucky enough to get the recipe. She added her own personal touch by substituting part of the full-fat cream cheese with a lighter version, and also prefers a few more peppers.

This dish is ultimate comfort food, according to our taste testers. "I was expecting an overpowering shrimp flavor, but the taste was far more complex. I could see this being a real tummy warmer on a cold night," one said.

Chef Wang recommends when creating appetizers for a crowd, "Think about one of your favorite foods, but in basic form so that everyone can eat it, i.e., not too spicy." This dish fits that model perfectly, as another tester described it as having "lots of flavor without getting too spicy."

Spinach & Artichoke Wonton Triangles with Red Pepper Cream Cheese Dip
Amy Waveris, graphic designer for CM parent company, S&A Cherokee

For triangles:
1/2 cup quartered artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1 large clove roasted garlic, diced
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, cooked and squeezed dry
1 tablespoon roasted red peppers (jarred, water-packed), finely chopped
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoon. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
1 package of wonton wrappers
2 tablespoon butter, melted

Combine artichokes, garlic, spinach, peppers, cream cheese and 2 tablespoons grated cheese. Trim wonton wrappers to squares. Take each square, brush edges lightly with water, and place about 1 teaspoon of filling in center. Fold to form triangles, pressing edges sealed with a fork. Lightly brush triangles with butter and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

For dip:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon liquid from roasted red pepper jar
1 teaspoon roasted red peppers, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated

Mix until creamy. Serve aside the Wonton Triangles.

"Spinach and artichoke is a classic flavor combination, so I thought I would give it my own twist," said Amy Waveris, who took inspiration from her mother's spinach and artichoke wonton cups and added her own flair. She chose to add Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to her mother's recipe for a stronger flavor. She also added a dipping sauce, which she says was a happy accident that resulted from wanting to use up leftover cream cheese. Our samplers described these as "light and easy to eat."

Grilled Apple and Cheese Sandwiches
Emily Uhland, CM's lead graphic designer

1 loaf French bread, thinly sliced
2-3 Granny Smith apples
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
8 ounces white cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
3 tablespoon butter, melted
1.5 teaspoon honey

Mix honey and melted butter. Core apples and slice into quarter-inch pieces. Brush slices of bread with honey butter on one side. Layer a slice of cheese, a slice of apple and another slice of cheese between the bread with buttered sides facing out. Grill over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes per side. These sandwiches can also be made using a panini press or George Foreman grill.

Emily Uhland created these mini sandwiches on a whim while envisioning something new and different from traditional holiday finger foods. "These are a great treat for a small, intimate gathering," she insisted. "My secret ingredient is honey, which complements the tartness of the apples with a hint of sweetness."

"Eaten hot or cold, the cheesy crunch offers dinner and dessert in one bite," a taster raved after repeated samplings.