Hello my friends,

At this time of the year, we are looking for new easy ideas of fun and easy appetizers to offer to our guests for great Holidays Parties!  Yesterday, browsing one of my favorite magazines,  I found these two recipes that seemed easy and tasty . So I  put them to a test. They came out both really good and flavorful, try them, the Turkey Twirls can even be made ahead.. what a relief!

The Endives boats instead are an elegant, tasty light choice for a small bite with a drink, before a meal. These are  my favorites:

The Crunchy Honey Nuts Endives boats

Ingredients : Makes about 12

• 1/2 cup creamy soft goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese or any  good quality blue cheese crumbled
• 1/2  cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1  6 oz. pack pancetta diced or 4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 2 fresh heads Belgian endives, separated into leaves
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar vinaigrette or just  1/2 cup raspberry balsamic glaze

1. In a small bowl whisk a balsamic vinaigrette with  1/2 to 1/2 balsamic vinegar and 1/2 olive oil, more vinegar then oil, whisk the mixture well.
2. Cook pancetta diced till well crispy ad browned without burning, remove all fat.
3. In a bowl combine softly pancetta, walnuts, raisins and cheese .
4. Open and spread endives leaves, on each one drop with a a teaspoon a drop of balsamic glaze or vinaigrette. Spoon cheese mixture into each leave, drizzle honey over. Serve immediately.

To make it a success :  keep endives refrigerated until ready to prepare, keep a good balance between the vinegar glaze,cheese and honey to have a great savory and sweet appetizer.

The Berry Smoked Turkey Twirls

This was my husband favorite. He  liked the  small slices full of hot flavors and made it his Sunday night dinner! Super  easy to make ahead:

Ingredients : about 40 bites

1. 4 to 5 flour tortillas (10 inches), room temperature
2. 1 8 oz. package  reduced fat cream cheese
3. cup shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend
4. 1 package deli smoked turkey, finely chopped
5. 2 to 3 tablespoons pimiento stoffed olives, chopped
6. 2 tablespoons salsa
7. 1/4 tablespoon chili powder
8. 2 to 3 tablespoons dried cranberries, roughly chopped

1.In a bowl, beat the cream cheese till smooth, stir in the cheese blend, chopped cranberries and olives, chili powder.

Add to each tortilla a slice or two if necessary to cover the all tortilla, spread with a spoon the cheese mixture (1/2 cup), and roll up tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate up to 2 hours or more until well firm.

2. Before serving, unwrap tortillas on a cutting board, cut into 1 inch slices.

3. You can serve two ways : Chilled  or Bake at 400 degrees for 5- 7 minutes.

Both are fantastic!! Happy Holidays!