Thanksgiving is upon us, and since this blog post is coming out the day before the holiday, I thought that people might want to read about something food related!
So, this week I’m offering up ideas on last minute appetizers you can make if you’re scrambling to come up with something before you head out to visit your families.
For starters, it’s not lost on me that Thanksgiving has a tainted history here in the United States, and details of how things played out at the very first Thanksgiving are very much up for debate. What you read in history books in school was and is almost guaranteed to be riddled with mistruths, as history is told and written from the viewpoint of the victors.
My own daughter is of mixed heritage, and she herself has some Native American blood in her (or First Nation, American Indian, Indigenous Peoples), so, in honor of her and all of the First Nation, some of these recipes will be based on Native American staple food. Recipes with an asterisk (*) will contain Native American ingredients.
Without further ado, here are some appetizers that can be made in a pinch (or two pinches). Get the ingredients now while stores are still open!
Quick Preparation Appetizers
Baked brie with Fig Jam: A wheel of brie, puff pastry, fig jam, egg wash, and an oven. That’s it. It’s delicious and anyone who can eat dairy will enjoy this. Serve with crackers, sliced baguette, apple slices, or whatever else you like. There are many variations of this recipe, but this is the closest I could find that matches how I like to make it: https://www.lifeisbutadish.com/baked-puff-pastry-wrapped-brie-w-fig-jam/
*Maple-Roasted Nuts: Three ingredients: Maple syrup, nuts, and salt. Within five minutes you can make this one in a sauté pan. If you’re going to add salt, then it’s best to buy salt—free or lightly-salted nuts to start. Recipe here: https://thewoksoflife.com/maple-roasted-nuts/
Ham Roll-Ups: Something my mother made throughout the years and is still a favorite of mine. Recipe described here:
1. Chop the ends off a bunch of asparagus.
2. Blanch the asparagus for 1-3 minutes or half steam them so they’re soft enough but still have some crunch and aren’t too fibrous, then set aside to cool.
3. In a bowl, mix even portions of softened cream cheese and yellow mustard until smooth.
4. Spread a thinnish layer of the mustard/cream cheese mix on sliced deli ham that’s been patted dry first. The square-shaped ham works best, but prosciutto also works great if you want to get a little fancy.
5. Roll the asparagus up in the ham/prosciutto and place them in a container.
6. Refrigerate until ready to eat! Arrange nicely on a platter for presentation. If your asparagus is thin, feel free to add more asparagus spears per roll.
Bacon-Wrapped Scallops: Timing is everything here. Sea scallops (not bay scallops) and good bacon are important, and since stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, buy the scallops now and freeze them until tomorrow. They’ll thaw out fairly quickly. I recommend partially cooking the bacon first before wrapping them around the scallops: https://preppykitchen.com/bacon-wrapped-scallops/
Mini Caprese Skewers: Put cherry tomatoes, small mozzarella balls, and basil on a toothpick, and repeat. Serve as is, or drizzle olive oil or balsamic vinegar on them.
Medium Preparation Appetizers
*Butternut Squash Black Bean Salsa: If you can find them, I prefer Garden of Eatin’s blue corn chips (co-ops generally will have this brand). They tend to be thicker than other yellow or blue corn chips you can find on the market, so for that reason I like them for scooping up salsa and hummus. The corn, beans, and squash are called the “three sisters” in Native American cuisine. Recipe here: https://chelseapeachtree.com/butternut-squash-black-bean-salsa/
*Smoked Fish Spread: It looks like a lot of ingredients, but this spread would come together pretty quickly, and people would probably have most of these ingredients on hand already. I’m averse to celery, so my preference would be to leave that out, but for those who like it, it would add a crunchy texture to this dip. Smoked salmon or trout would work great here! Recipe here: https://wildgameandfish.com/smoked-fish-dip-recipe/
*Sweet Potatoes with Tahini Butter: Okay, this is actually a side dish for the main meal but go with me on this one. I was skeptical at first at the combination of ingredients, but when my wife made this, oh man, did I fall in love. Somehow these two things pair together very well and make for a creamy and delicious duo. This is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Recipe here: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/sweet-potatoes-with-tahini-butter
Pumpkin Cheese Ball: A recommendation from my mother. No actual pumpkin included in this recipe; just the shape of one for presentation purposes. Sure to be a hit on your Thanksgiving! Can be made ahead of time. Recipe here: https://www.allrecipes.com/this-pumpkin-cheese-ball-will-be-the-star-of-your-halloween-spread-7972312
And lastly, when the turkey is done cooking, it’s time to make that delicious gravy! America’s Test Kitchen are renowned for their experimentation with recipes until they get it just right (and can maybe even make it better than grandma makes it, but don’t tell her that). This recipe has a couple of extra steps, but it will be worth it in the end. Skip the corn starch and opt for straight up flour instead. Click or tap here for the recipe.
If you wind up making any of these for Thanksgiving, comment below and let me know how it went!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mom
Haha! I see you left out the ol’ dreaded corn relish I made for years assuming everybody liked, but actually didn’t. Since I hate making gravy, you can do it this year.