Quick, make-ahead appetizers from the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine
When you’re busy trimming a tree or wrapping gifts, you might not have the time or energy to whip up a main course. Executive Chef Heather Nace, RD, LDN, of Tulane’s Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine offers some quick make-ahead options that are light and will please all members of the family.
- A lightened-up, creamy and cheesy spinach and artichoke dip is both savory and satisfying.
- Caramelized onion jam (with a little bacon!) can be gifted in a jar or used in multiple ways throughout the holidays.
- A sweet and spicy maple-coated nut recipe satisfies those crunchy snackers in your house.
- Mix-and-match mini tarts put the the dip, the jam and the nuts to use, and are adaptable with other filling ideas that please everyone’s taste buds.
BONUS: Have you ever wondered how to create a beautiful, crave-worthy platter of cheeses, meats, and all the trimmings without spending all day assembling and arranging? Here are a few tips to make cheese and charcuterie boards without too much effort, allowing you to enjoy more holiday fun!
Cheeses
Include a variety of flavors and textures
Serve 2 cheeses (hard and soft) for up to 9 diners or
3 cheeses (1 sweet, 1 pungent, 1 hard) for 10-20 diners
Hard – Parmesan, aged Gouda (sweet), Asiago
Firm – Cheddar, Manchego, Gruyere (sweet)
Semi-soft – Havarti (sweet), Muenster
Soft – burrata, mascarpone (sweet), Brie, Camembert (pungent)
Blue – Gorgonzola (pungent)
Crumbly – feta, goat/chevre (sweet)
Charcuterie
Cured meats
Serve 1 choice for up to 9 diners or
2 for 10-20 diners
Suggestions: Prosciutto, soppressata, Calabrese, Genoa salami, Spanish chorizo
Dips and spreads
Suggestions: Any jam, fruit paste, mustard, dip or tapenade
Nuts and seeds
Suggestions: Pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, pumpkin seeds
Fruits
Suggestions: Fresh grapes, sliced apples, berries, figs, dried apricots, dates
Vegetables
Suggestions: Carrot, celery and cucumber sticks, marinated artichokes, mushrooms
Bread and crackers
Suggestions: Sliced baguette, torn whole grain loaf, water crackers
Other
Suggestions: Olives and pickles
