Jingle Bells Jingle Mums, Mum is going mad…..
Yep, that time of year again. The silly season. You know, Christmas just doesn’t happen without Mums, and we work damn hard. So anything that lessens our time in the actual kitchen and gives us more time drinking wine and putting our feet up – is a good thing.
The main staple of any good Christmas Shindig is the Nibbles Platter. And using the deli section to buy what you need will save you SO MUCH TIME, and these recipes are so yummy and so easy, even the kids could put them all together… Whilst you sip a good red…. Here are my picks for using the deli section to make up your Christmas Entree’s this 2016 Christmas!
Salami & Cream Cheese Roll Ups
There is pretty much no better pairing than salami and cheese! The green capsicum gives it a real ‘kick’. Yeeeehaaaawwwwwww!
You will need:
- 2 packets D’Orsogna Mild Salami
- 1/2 green capsicum
- 250 grams cream cheese, slightly softened
Roll out about 600mm of Gladwrap onto the bench top. Place half the cream cheese on the Gladwrap and roll it out into a large rectangle. Remove the D’Orsogna Mild Salami from the packet and lay it over the cream cheese, overlapping so you cannot see the cheese. Place the remaining cream cheese on top of the salami, and again roll it out. Cut the green capsicum into slivers and sprinkle it evenly over the top. Then roll it up and refrigerate. Then remove and cut into ‘pinwheels’. Remove from the fridge just before serving.
Tasty Stick Sliders
You will need:
- 1 packet of D’Orsogna Tasty Sticks
- 12 Oval shaped dinner rolls
- 1 cup grated cheddar or tasty cheese
- BBQ Sauce to taste
Take the dinner rolls out of the freezer and let defrost slightly. Cut the middle of the bread roll out in a ‘V’ shape to make room for the Tasty Stick. First put some grated cheese in the bun, then a halved Tasty Stick, then barbecue sauce. Heat in the oven at 180 degrees for 15 minutes until golden and the cheese is bubbling. Serve hot!
Salami Stick Shooter Glass Dip
This is a great dish to serve at a cocktail party – and it really looks terrific.
You will need:
- 12 shooter glasses or other small glasses
- 1 packet D’Orsogna Peri Peri Tasty Sticks
- 2 carrots
- 2 punnets of cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 head celery
- 250 Tzatziki or Gerkin Dip
Place a heaped teaspoon of the dip at the bottom of every shot glass. Cut the celery and carrots into sticks – the same size as the D’Orsogna Peri Peri Tasty Sticks. Using a toothpick, skewer a few cherry tomatoes together. Arrange the salami stick and vegetables into the shot glass attractively and leave in the fridge until just before serving. You could even make these the night before!
Chicken and Caramelised Onion Bite
This fancy little bite packs a punch visually. If pine nuts are out of your price range (those little things are so delicious but so expensive!), then replace with some crushed nuts. If you aren’t a fan of pineapple, use black olives or just plain cream cheese – easy!
You will need:
- 1 packet D’Orsogna Delifresh Free-Range Chicken
- 250 grams cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon caramelised onions
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- parsley to decorate
Mix together the cream cheese and caramelised onions until well combined. Place a piece of the D’Orsogna Free Range Chicken on the kitchen bench and cut the top and bottom off to make a very informal rectangle. Add a teaspoon of the caramelised onion and cream cheese mixture and spread all over the free-range chicken. Roll up well and slice into two. Place the little bite up vertically. Top with chopped black olives and pine nuts. Keep the bites in the fridge until just before serving.
Lady Bug Caprese Bites on Ham
These are so adorable and great for the kids! It’s a great way to get them eating healthy!
You will need:
- 1 packet of D’Orsogna Premium Leg Ham, cut into halves
- 12 ripe cherry tomatoes
- 6 black olives
- 12 fresh basil leaves, washed well
- balsamic glaze (for the lady bug spots)
Place the Leg Ham halves on a plate. Add a fresh basil leaf on every half piece of ham. Slice the cherry tomatoes half way through and seperate slightly (like image). Place on top of the basil leaf. Cut the black olives into three pieces and add a end to the top to create the ‘head’ of the lady bug. Dot with the balsamic glaze and serve immediately.
This recipe is best made by the kids just before serving.
Hot Brie and Chorizo Crunch Dip
This is such an easy recipe – and looks so fancy!
- 1 whole Brie Dip
- 1 packet D’Orsogna Peri Peri Tasty Sticks
Heat the oven to 180 degrees. Cut the very top off the piece of Brie Cheese, and scoop out a bit of the cheese. Grab the D’Orsogna Peri Peri Sticks and cut them up finely. Mix through the cheese and place the top back on. Wrap in aluminium foil and bake for 20 minutes or until the Brie is gooey. Serve hot with some crackers.
Antipasto Plate on a Stick
I’m a big fan of the Antipasto Entree, except I always end up pigging out and then have no room left for the yummies afterwards. So I’m really loving this idea of serving an Antipasto Plate, on a stick – with all the yummies you come to expect without going overboard. You can pick up the larger sized toothpicks from kitchen shops (they are quite inexpensive). You can choose any ingredients of your choosing, you don’t have to stick to the recipe strickly!
You will need:
- 1 packet D’Orsogna Spicy Chorizo Salami or Mild Salami
- 12 large toothpick sticks
- 12 black olives
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 12 small bocconcini balls
- 12 artichoke hearts
Cut the chorizo into half pieces. Fold those halves into quarters, and skewer them onto the stick with one of each of the above ingredients. Stack on a plate and refrigerate until just before serving.
Other recipe ingredients you could use include:
- fresh or pickled mushrooms
- anchovies (yum yum yum)
- smoked salmon
Italy on a Stick
This is a yummy combination of salty treats on a stick. Stick food is trending right now – be a trendsetter and try this!
- 6 D’Orsogna Tasty Sticks – cut in half
- 12 green or black olives
- 1 block Danish Feta Cheese
- 12 Italian parsley leaves
Placing the Tasty Sticks on the bottom, skewer the ingredients in the order above. Place on a plate in the fridge and remove just before serving. Choose a firmer feta cheese if you can, Danish is the tastiest however it can be soft – and you don’t want it to turn into moosh!
Ham & Cheese Sliders
Nothing gets a party started like sliders. They are universally loved by all ages and can be enjoyed as a breakfast, lunch, entree, snack or even a light dinner! How good is that! The small dinner rolls are the best if you can find them – if not, just make big ones!
You will need:
- 12 dinner rolls
- 2 packs D’Orsogna Honey Leg Ham
- 12 slices of swiss cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- (Optional) Mustard or cauliflower pickles
Preheat the oven to a low 150 degrees. Cut all the bread rolls in half and lay the bottom half in a baking tray. Butter and layer the cheese, ham and pickles on top evenly. Top with the top of the bread roll and brush the top with a little more butter. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is gooey and melted and delicious.
Serve from the oven immediately. Uncooked sliders can be kept in the fridge overnight, covered in Gladwrap.
Asparagus and Ham Balsamic Sticks
If you are a fan of Asparagus, this is a simple and delicious dish that is so easy to make it can be whipped up in minutes.
You will need:
- 12 fresh asparagus spears
- 2 packs D’Orsogna Delifresh Double Smoked Leg Ham
- 12 toothpicks
- balsamic glaze
Heat a frying pan and give it a quick spray with olive oil. Cook the asparagus spears for a few minutes. Remove and cool slightly. Wrap a piece of the D’Orsogna Double Smoked Ham around the spears, and secure with a toothpick. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve immediately.
Thank you very much to D’Orsogna for providing Deli Meats for us to experiment in the kitchen with! We hope you enjoyed these deliciously easy recipes!
All D’Orsogna Deli Meats can be purchased from Woolworths in the deli section (near the cheeses!)