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Set the tone for the big Thanksgiving dinner with easy, delicious hors d'oeuvres. These healthy bites will keep guests out of the kitchen and give them something light to munch on throughout the day. Recipes like our Winter Charcuterie Board and Easy Stuffed Mushrooms are perfect crowd pleasers before the main meal.
Winter Charcuterie Board
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A cheeseboard is an ideal stationary hors d'oeuvre for holiday entertaining. Select a variety of cheeses, making sure to include an aged variety, a creamy cheese, a blue cheese and perhaps a smoked cheese. Round out the platter with cold cuts, bread, an abundance of seasonal fruits, dried fruit, crudité, nuts and olives. We even included some dark chocolate to cap it off!
Easy Stuffed Mushrooms
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This healthy stuffed mushroom appetizer is a nice balance of soft mushrooms, creamy filling and crunchy topping. This combination tastes downright decadent, but it's actually good for you. Be sure to get all of the moisture out of the chopped mushrooms before moving on to the next step; if not, the filling will be soggy and make the mushroom caps watery.
3-Ingredient Blue Cheese & Fig Bites
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Salty-tangy blue cheese pairs beautifully with sweet fig jam in these easy appetizers, which are perfect for a holiday party. The optional minced chives add a nice pop of color, but these are just as tasty without herbs. Keep the ingredients on hand and you can whip these up for impromptu holiday cocktail parties.
Pumpkin Spice Cheese Ball
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All the fall spice flavor you crave but folded into creamy cheese and coated with cranberries. Serve with an array of crudités and crisp party crackers.
Pumpkin-Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Rolls
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Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
These pumpkin-goat cheese puff pastry rolls combine sweet pumpkin with savory goat cheese for the perfect fall appetizer. Opt for pre-crumbled goat cheese to keep the pinwheels dry and easy to slice. If you want to tip these easy rolls to the sweeter side, add a little pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon or cloves to the pumpkin mixture.
Classic Deviled Eggs
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We love the taste of dill relish in the filling of this deviled egg recipe, but if you like a sweeter deviled egg' opt for sweet relish instead. Our secret to healthy, creamy deviled eggs with fewer calories is to swap out half the full-fat mayo for nonfat Greek yogurt.
3-Ingredient Cheddar & Apple Bites
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Creamy apple butter and sharp Cheddar cheese are a perfect match in these easy party hors d'oeuvres. This recipe calls for prepared pie crust, which is pressed into mini muffin tins to make little tart shells, so it's super easy to make as well. Add slices of apple for extra crunch, if you'd like, or keep these bites simple. Either way, consider making a double batch--they'll go quickly.
Curried Butternut Squash Dip
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This healthy squash dip recipe, spiced with curry and made creamy with the addition of coconut milk, is a delicious alternative to hummus. You can also use other types of winter squash, pumpkin or sweet potatoes in place of the butternut squash in this dip. Serve with crisp raw vegetables or toasted pitas for dipping.
Cheddar-Apple Cracker Bites
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This easy recipe comes together in just 5 minutes, making it a quick snack or appetizer. The sweetness of the Fuji balances well with the cheddar, but you can use another variety of apple if you prefer. This recipe calls for 3 thin apple slices per cracker, but feel free to use just one if you’re craving a more cheesy bite.
Lemon-Garlic Marinated Shrimp
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Ready to chill in just a few minutes using just a handful of ingredients, marinated precooked shrimp in garlic- and lemon-infused oil is a simple yet elegant appetizer.
Pear-Pecan Cheese Ball
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Sweet pear, salty Cheddar, cream cheese and crunchy nuts make this healthy cheese ball recipe an alluring holiday treat. Serve with an array of crudités and crisp party crackers.
Crispy Smashed Shallots with Goat Cheese & Fig Jam
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These crispy smashed shallots mellow while they roast and become the perfect vessel for sweet fig jam and creamy goat cheese. Serve these shallots as an appetizer or alongside grilled chicken or steak.
Slow-Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip
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This creamy, crowd-pleasing dip comes together with ease in your crockpot. Leave it in the slow cooker all party long to keep it warm for serving with perfect, melty cheese in every bite. Whole-wheat bread and raw veggie dippers allow you to dig in without the guilt.
Garlic-Chile Marinated Olives
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Simply pour warm aromatic oil over a selection of olives to infuse them with loads of flavor fast. These olives are a wonderful easy party appetizer--add any leftovers to salads or simply snack on them.
Creamy Loaded Cauliflower Dip
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This creamy cauliflower dip tastes like a baked potato and is served inside a whole head of steamed cauliflower for a fun low-carb play on a bread bowl. Microwaving the cauliflower head is easy, but you can also steam it or use a pressure cooker to soften it up. If you want to skip the cauliflower bowl, just steam 1/2 cup cauliflower florets in the microwave and continue with Step 3.
Double-Tahini Hummus
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You'll look like an expert with this easy hummus recipe that produces the lightest, silkiest hummus you've ever had. Chilling the cooked chickpeas ensures that when they're blended with the oil and cold tahini the hummus will come out creamy rather than oily. In a pinch, you can use the quick-soak technique (see Step 1), reduce the chilling time and still get great hummus.
Baked Brie with Jam in Puff Pastry
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Serve this decadent yet easy appetizer with apple wedges and crackers and watch it disappear in seconds! It's bound to be your new party go-to.
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