The Well Dressed Kitchen

Christmas Appetizer

Festive 5-Minute Cranberry Salsa

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Cranberry Salsa is made from fresh cranberries, served over cream cheese and makes the most amazing Holiday Dip. The salsa is tart from the cranberry, balanced out with sweetness from honey yet full of heat from jalapeño. You will serve this every year, guaranteed! 

Cranberry Salsa

Best Time of Year To Use Fresh Cranberries

This is the best time of year to cook with fresh cranberries. These beautiful little bits of tartness are only in stores for a limited time so stock up now. The bright, Cranberry color is absolutely gorgeous, I had to find a way to use them in a quick and easy Holiday recipe!

Cranberry Salsa

This salsa recipe is really quick and easy and there is no cooking involved!

All you do is combine all ingredients in food processor: Cranberries, Diced Green Onion, Diced Jalapeño (without the seeds or leave the seeds in for more heat), Cilantro, Lime Juice, Honey and a pinch of Salt. Pulse until well combined like the picture below. Then scoop out on top of a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers. You can use any crackers you like. I used a variety of crackers of different shapes and sizes.

Cranberry Salsa

If you like a lot of heat, keep the seeds in the jalapeño. When I am serving at a party I leave out the seeds because not everyone likes spicy. I allow my salsa to chill in the refrigerator a few hours before serving allowing the flavors to develop. If you don’t have the time you can still serve immediately and it’s so yummy.

Cranberry Salsa
 
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This Cranberry Salsa is made from fresh cranberries, served over cream cheese and makes the most amazing Holiday Dip. The salsa is tart from the cranberry, balanced out with sweetness from the honey yet full of heat from the jalapeños. You will serve this every year, guaranteed!
Ingredients
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed
  • 4 green onions, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, minced (seeds removed)
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves
  • 1 lime, juice of
  • ¼ cup honey
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. In a food processer or blender, place cranberries, green onions, jalapeños, cilantro leaves, lime juice, honey and salt and pulse until finely chopped. Taste and add more honey depending how tart your cranberries taste.
  2. Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for a few hours before serving allowing the flavors to develop.
  3. Serve cranberry salsa alone or over cream cheese with crackers.

Cranberry Salsa

More Holiday Appetizers:

Sweet Potato Bites

Sweet Potato Bites + Goat Cheese, Cranberry, and Pecan

Tomato Pesto Crostini

Tomato + Pesto Crostini 

Shop Products I used in this recipe:

I can’t wait for the day I have a huge Food Processor, but for now my Cuisinart does the trick and I am really impressed with it. It’s reasonably priced and easy to use. Click here or on the picture below for the link:

What is your favorite Holiday Appetizer!? I would love to see your pictures. Please let me know by leaving a comment below and share a picture on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #thewelldressedkitchen.

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING ALONG! XOXO, REBECCA ROSATI @ THE WELL DRESSED KITCHEN! 💗

Pesto Crostini + Tomato & Parmesan

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Look no further when you’re searching for an elegant appetizer that’s easy to put together. This Pesto Crostini topped with Parmesan and Cherry Tomato looks great on a Christmas platter and will disappear quickly!  

Tomato Pesto Crostini

This recipe is so quick and easy and tastes delicious. The green from the Pesto and Red from the Tomato make this the perfect festive appetizer. Best part is it only requires a few ingredients and it couldn’t be easier to make. Serve as an appetizer or snack.

Quick and Easy to Make:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degree F. Start by slicing a baguette in roughly 1 inch thick pieces and place on baking sheet. Top each slice of bread with pesto and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake roughly 8 minutes or until bread is crisp and cheese is melted. Top each slice of bread with 1 cherry tomato half, arrange on a platter and serve.

You can use any bread you desire, I also like using french bread. Mozzarella works great in this recipe too. If you want a crisper slice of bread, drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 5 minutes prior to topping the pesto and cheese.

I recommend grating your own cheese whenever possible. It’s cheaper to buy a block of cheese at the grocery store because when you purchase grated cheese your paying for the convenience. Many food processors have a grating device attachment that can make the job go much faster. Also, it tastes better, doesn’t have additives, and will last longer.

Pesto Crostini + Tomato & Parmesan
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
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Ingredients
  • 1 baguette or french bread, cut into 1 inch thick pieces (roughly 20 slices)
  • ½ cup pesto
  • 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ¼ cup parmesan, shredded
Instructions
  1. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place bread slices on un-greased baking sheet.
  2. Top each slice of bread with a scoop of pesto and sprinkle with cheese.
  3. Bake roughly 8 minutes or until bread is crisp and cheese is melted. Top each slice of bread with 1 cherry tomato half. Serve Immediately.

Tomato Pesto Crostini

More Holiday Appetizers:

Sweet Potato Bites

SWEET POTATO BITES + GOAT CHEESE + CRANBERRY+PECAN

Shop Products I used in this recipe:

Williams Sonoma Nonstick Baking Sheet

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY APPETIZERS!? PLEASE LET ME KNOW BY LEAVING A COMMENT BELOW AND SHARE A PICTURE ON INSTAGRAM WITH THE HASHTAG #THEWELLDRESSEDKITCHEN.

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING ALONG! XOXO, BECCA @ THE WELL DRESSED KITCHEN! 💗