This year will be our first year having Christmas with the family at our house without boxes all over the place.

Last year, we were traveling, and the year before that, we were here, but Nick and I moved into our house on Christmas Eve, thanks to two trucks and 5 extra family members to move furniture and boxes.

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Now that we’re all moved in and settled, I’m 100% excited for everyone to come here in a few weeks and 100% freaked out about the whole food situation.

I’ve never hosted a real holiday meal.

Not Thanksgiving, not Christmas, not Easter. I haven’t roasted my own turkey or whipped up a ham, potatoes, gravy, and pie all in one day to serve to everyone at our table.

Help?

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I think we’ll be okay. My family will chip in, and I’m used to helping make meals at their houses. It just feels so much more stressful knowing it’s in our house – maybe because it’s the first real time having family here for the holidays?

All I know is that I’m already brainstorming foods to make – the classics I know everyone will want, new recipes to try, and easy appetizers to have around for snacking.

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I’m always looking for new (and simple) bite size foods to try, especially this time of year. And since I just bought a ton of feta, I knew exactly what I wanted to try.

Feta smashed with cracked black pepper, tangy cranberries, and crunchy pecans, smeared on crackers and baked until hot.

If you haven’t had feta hot – in a dip, on a pizza, or on a cracker – you’re seriously missing out. Feta isn’t just for greek salads!

And now I have a new favorite holiday bite. I’m just hoping everyone else loves these little snacks as much as I do. If not….I guess that’s just more for me!

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I made these loaded crackers with Wasa Crispbreads, but you could use any other variety or your favorite cracker. Even though these little bites are full of flavor, they’re pretty healthy compared to a lot of holiday fare.

To help you stay on track during the holidays – and to create your own new holiday treat! – Wasa is offering up a $25 Gift Card and two boxes of Wasa Crispbread to one reader.

To Enter: Tell me your favorite holiday appetizer!

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Cranberry, Pecan, and Honey Feta Loaded Crackers
Makes: 8-12 cracker bites, depending on how small you cut them

Ingredients:

  • 4 Wasa Crispbreads
  • 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1.5 Tbsp milk
  • 1 Tbsp chopped pecans
  • 1 Tbsp dried cranberries
  • 1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
  • honey, to drizzle before serving

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Lay the crispbreads on a baking sheet.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix the crumbled feta with the milk, pecans, cranberries, and black pepper. The milk should help bind the cheese together a bit more so it won’t crumble right off the cracker. If it’s not holding together well, add a splash more milk.
  4. Smooth a spoonful of the cheese onto each cracker.
  5. Bake the crackers at 350 for 5-7 minutes until the cheese is starting to get warm and the crackers a bit golden.
  6. Broil the crackers for 15-20 seconds – watching carefully so the crackers don’t burn – then remove from the oven.
  7. Drizzle with honey, slice the crackers into bite-size pieces, and serve warm.

Wasa sent me the crackers to try and a giftcard to purchase the other ingredients for my recipes. All recipes, ideas, and opinions are my own.

51 comments

  1. I love cheese and cracker, or hummus and pita!

  2. These loaded crackers are so creative! I’ve never had feta hot before..will have to give that a try! My favorite appetizer would have to be hummus!

  3. I love cheese balls! :)

  4. i love a good cheeseball :) or if eggnog counted as an appetizer, that’d be my favorite!

  5. I LOVE appetizers and can make a whole meal out of them. Hummus is a favorite but I also love crostini with goat cheese and pomagranate and olive spread.

  6. My favorite holiday appetizer are pigs in a blanket! I love them :)

  7. I l.o.v.e feta! I’m going to try this for sure.
    My favorite is stuffed mushrooms. The “boys” wouldn’t consider having a holiday meal without them. So good… Second favorite, stuffed eggs. I make them with jalapeno to spicy them up.
    I would love to win this holiday give away.
    :-)

  8. Bacon wrapped, brown sugar glazed, cocktail sausages!

  9. sausage balls & deep fried raviolli!!

  10. this sounds awesome!! you’ll totally be fine :) don’t be afraid to ask for help- sounds like others are happy to chip in so that is awesome! When it gets close, be flexible- you may not have everything ready, but pick and choose so you don’t completely stress out. No one else will know and it’s better to enjoy the family time :)

    my favorite appetizer last year was my butternut apple bruschetta- squash/apples, toasts, and sage can be prepped ahead making assembly easier!

  11. You can do it, Brandi! :)

    My favorite appetizer is thinly sliced salami, rolled up and stuffed with goat cheese, peperoncini and radiccio! IT went over very well at Thanksgiving this year!

  12. Pigs in a blanket or cheese and crackers. Can be such a variety with all the different cheeses on the market today.

  13. My fav holiday appetizer is escargot! My mom is French, and it is tradition to have escargot on Christmas Eve :-)

  14. yum! those look delish!! :)

  15. Guuuuuurl this is about to be my new favorite appetizer, BAM.

  16. Little smokies!

  17. I love “Stuffed Celery”… and now I use Jalapeno Pimiento cheese for a kick. (Palmetto Cheese is a brand I use.) Also, all of our family holiday celebrations are complete only with a good Shrimp Cocktail! Yummy!

  18. Hummus and veggies! And green olives…when they’re part of a good drink :)

  19. Crostini with goat cheese and balsamic soaked beets.

  20. Ham and pickle rollups, any kind of olives or meatballs

  21. I love bacon and pecan coated goat cheese truffles. Great on tart green apples oddly enough!

  22. Those loaded crackers look incredible! If I were hosting anyone this year, I think they’d definitely be on my list.

  23. You will do well on your holiday dinner! You’ll be exhausted, but it will all go well. (The turkey is the easiest thing, by the way!)

    That appetizer looks delicious…I will try it.

    Favorite easy appetizer: Shrimp and cocktail sauce! The time-consuming part comes from hanging them on martini glasses filled with the sauce and lemon wedges.

  24. My favorite appetizer is picking at everything as we’re getting it ready! (does that even count?)

    :)

  25. I hope you don’t mind that I shared this recipe with two friends who raise goats and make the most phenomenal goat’s milk cheeses (including feta!).

    I think my favorite go to appetizer is shrimp cocktail. I make KILLER cocktail sauce and I love serving this with lemon roasted shrimp (instead of plain boiled).

  26. My favorite holiday appetizer is always anything with nuts! Even simple mixed buts got me coming back for more. I’m easy to please!

  27. I love mixed spiced nuts as an app! Super addictive ;)

  28. no favorite appetizer for the holidays as i don’t tend to celebrate.

  29. My favorite appetizer is Charleston Cheese!
    Charleston Cheese

    1 – 8 oz pkg cream cheese
    2 green onions, chopped
    ½ C mayonnaise
    6 Ritz crackers, crushed
    1 C grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
    8 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
    Combine first four ingredients and spread into a greased quiche dish. Top with crackers. Bake at 350º for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and top with bacon. Serve with crackers.Note: To add some zip, add 1-2 fresh seeded, chopped jalapeños.

  30. Sweet and Sour meatballs that my mom used to make.

  31. I love baked Brie!

  32. We always make sausage cups once a year at Christmas time, and they are definitely my favorite appetizer. Look forward to them all year long: sausage, green onion, swiss cheese, heavy cream, mushrooms, and olives in mini pie crusts. Yum!

  33. This appetizer is delicious! I could eat apps for my whole meal. ;)

  34. You will do great!!! The internet is helpful with all things holidays!! These crackers look amazing, love the whole honey-feta combo. My fave holiday app is my Hot Crab Dip, it’s just not the holidays without it.

  35. Hummus and fresh veggies!

  36. Last year, was the first year I ever hosted a major holiday dinner (Thanksgiving). It wasn’t that bad although this year was way more smoother because I knew what to expect! I love serving a meat and cheese board before dinner oh and some shrimp cocktail!

  37. Hot cheesey artichoke dip !!

  38. I love bruschetta as a holiday appetizer. It is such a comforting, delicious food that can be easily eaten with one hand.

  39. Cream cheese with a good pepper jelly poured over top, served with crackers!

  40. I love any kind of dip in a bread bowl.

  41. making these for Christmas eve! perfect app!

    and I love my mom’s rosemary spiced nuts!

  42. I get green olives and wrap cream cheese around them and then roll them in chopped pecans! SOOOOO delicious! (if you like green olives) :)

  43. I like cream cheese roll ups!

  44. I still love creamy, cheesy spinach dip with toasted baguette. Garnished with salsa for added flavor and festive colors. Yum!!!

  45. Favorite appetizer: my mom makes this delicious bread dip with olive oil, garlic, and lots of fresh herbs like basil, rosemary, thyme, seasoned coarse salt and pepper. Dip a hunk of steamy homemade rustic whole wheat bread and mmmm mmmm! So delicious! It’s especially good if you let the herbs infuse their goodness into the oil for a few days (if you can refrain yourself from dipping already). :)

    Thanks for the opportunity for the giveaway. These appetizers look elegant! I’ve never had feta sweet and warm — I’ll have to try it!

  46. Little smokies, wrapped in bacon, rolled in brown sugar and baked until bacon is crisp. Yum.
    These crackers with all the fixings sound really yummy too. We do a huge appetizer feast on New Years eve (mostly for the kids) and play games and graze all night. I may have to add these to my menu.

  47. I love pita chips with spinach dip and pesto hummus

  48. I don’t know if this giveaway is closed or not, but if not……
    …. I love cucumber sandwiches. Thank you for the giveaway and the opportunity to participate.

  49. Pingback: 5 Holiday Treats You Don’t Want to Miss! « Eating Made Easy

  50. Teh one I always bring to a party, and the one I always get asked the recipe for:

    Brown a package of breakfast sausage (mild or hot, your choice)
    Add an 8oz. package of cream cheese (or two, depending on how creamy you like it – I use 1 & 1/2 pkgs) and mix until combined.
    Add a can of Rotel tomatoes with the chilis and Viola… irresistable dip!

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