Snacks for Holiday Guests

Once a year, a neighbor invites us to a party. I’ve looked forward to nibbling her vast array of savory and sweet late-afternoon snacks for four years now and finally got the courage to ask for a recipe for these.

Don’t analyze before making, since some people react with “eeeuw” to the ingredient list. Just make, taste, and head to the store for more deli meat.

And guess what: they’re easy to make, so you can add them to tonight’s pre-dinner menu.

Kathie’s Dill Pickle Wraps

Ingredients

Dill pickles
Cream cheese
Ham, cut deli-thin and rollable

Dry pickles and ham with paper towels.

Spread softened cream cheese on ham, then wrap this around a pickle.

Store in the refrigerator in layers on paper towels.

You can make these a few days ahead.

Bonus Recipe!

Do you see those round appetizers on the red plate? They’re another unusual and delicious appetizer. Substitute gluten- or low-carb flour for the wheat flour, if that’s what your diet requests.

Cheesy Thumbprints with Hot Pepper Jelly

20 thumbprints

Preheat oven to 400°F

Ingredients

2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup flour
6 TBSP chilled butter, chopped
1/2 cup hot pepper jelly

Blend cheese, flour, and butter in a food processor until it resembles coarse meal and can be formed into a ball. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Shape dough into 20 1 1/2-inch balls, placed 1 inch apart on a baking sheet.

Bake 5 minutes at 400°F.

Remove from oven and immediately press your thumb into the top of each ball.

Fill this depression with jelly and return to oven for 5 minutes more.