Quick and Easy Holiday Appetizers

The holidays are without a doubt the best time to entertain. Excitement is in the air. Festivity astounds and goodwill abounds. All you really need to create a party is a little help from Heinen’s by way of holiday bites based on favorites from the Prepared Foods Case.

Celebrations are a great reason to bring out our favorite foods and shrimp is at the top of our party nosh list. More interesting than the usual boiled shrimp with cocktail sauce is a grilled shrimp skewer made with Heinen’s Garlic Grilled Shrimp, mozzarella balls and grape tomatoes tossed with store bought pesto. The shrimp are garlicky and sweet with a toasty barbecue flavor enhanced by a hint of cheese, fresh tomato and basil. All it takes to create this summery appetizer is your favorite skewers and a short warm-up in the microwave.

It wouldn’t be a holiday gathering without a little pastry cup filled with something delicious to pop in your mouth. Frozen mini fillo shells are the perfect vehicle for Heinen’s velvety Sweet Potato Mashers topped with a slice of rotisserie chicken and a dollop of Heinen’s Cranberry Relish. The crispy shells, buttery potatoes, savory chicken and tart relish is like a complete mini holiday meal all in one bite.

Every hostess knows to serve something vegan for our meat and dairy free friends and Vegan Mandarin Chicken Skewers are a delicious choice for omnivores and vegans alike. Start with Heinen’s Vegan Mandarin Chicken Nuggets and combine them with a diced ripe mango tossed with cilantro and lime on a party skewer. The tart mango is the perfect foil for the sweet and savory mandarin nugget. You won’t believe it’s not chicken!

I always like to include a meaty appetizer for those who may not have had any dinner before arriving at my door and Crostini with Pork Tenderloin, Chutney and Pomegranate is a sure man-pleaser. Crispy melba rounds form the base spread with tangy Major Grey’s Chutney. Lay down halved or quartered slices of Heinen’s Garlic and Rosemary Pork Loin, a dollop of chutney and after a short warming in the oven, sprinkle with bright red pomegranate seeds for a pop of color and zing.

All of these appetizers are pretty, but you can make the presentation even more festive if you follow the simple garnishing options with each recipe. Though most of these appetizers are served warm, they are still delicious at room temperature so you don’t have to reheat platters when you should be enjoying your guests and the party at hand.

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Start to finish: 30 minutes
Hands on time: 30 minutes
Makes about 40 skewers

Ingredients

• 1 large container Garlic Grilled Shrimp
• 1/2 cup Perline or mini mozzarella balls
• 1-pint grape tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons prepared pesto

Method

• Pull the tails from the shrimp (it’s easier for your guest to eat them that way).
• Toss the cheese and tomatoes with the pesto in a small bowl.
• Thread the shrimp, cheese and tomato onto skewers.
• Warm the skewers in the microwave in 30 second increments or until warmed.
• Serve on a platter garnished with fresh basil leaves.

Holiday Sweet Potato Cups with Chicken and Cranberry

Start to finish: 30 minutes
Hands on time: 20 minutes
Makes 30 cups

Ingredients

• 2 packages frozen mini fillo shells
• 1 small container Sweet Potato Mashers
• Shredded rotisserie chicken, white and dark meat
• Heinen’s Cranberry Relish

Method

• On a sheet pan, fill cups with 1 teaspoon potatoes. Top with a piece of chicken and relish.
• Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until warmed.
• Serve on a platter garnished with sliced oranges

Vegan Mandarin Chicken Skewers

Start to finish: 30 minutes
Hands on time: 30 minutes
Makes about 20 skewers

Ingredients

• 1 ripe mango
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 lime
• 1 medium container Vegan Mandarin Chicken Nuggets

Method

• Quarter the mango and peel and cut it into bite-sized pieces. In a medium bowl, toss the mango with the cilantro and juice from the lime.
• Thread the nuggets and mango onto skewers.
• Warm the skewers in a microwave in 30 second increments or until warmed.
• Serve on a platter garnished with fresh cilantro and sliced lime.

Crostini with Pork Tenderloin, Chutney and Pomegranate

Start to finish: 30 minutes
Hands on time: 20 minutes
Makes about 30 crostini

Ingredients

• Melba Rounds
• Major Grey’s Chutney
• 12-oz Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Pork Loin, halved or quartered so they fit on the melba round
• Pomegranate seeds (you can find them in the produce section already seeded in a small cup)

Method

• Spread the melba rounds with chutney and top with a piece of pork and a dollop of chutney.
• Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until warmed. Scatter pomegranate seeds over the top.
• Serve on a platter garnished with a sprinkling of pomegranate and chopped parsley.

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By Carla Snyder

Carla has spent the past 30 years in the food world as a caterer, artisan baker, cooking school teacher, food writer and author of 6 cook books including the James Beard nominated Big Book of Appetizers. Her passion is sharing fresh, cooked-from-scratch weeknight meals that cut prep time and practically eliminate that nightly sink full of dishes.