Christmas is celebrated over several days, one of the year’s most anticipated moments. Families gather around the table to share meals, enjoy each other’s company, and put culinary skills to work for the guests. During the holidays, meals tend to feature more courses and richer recipes. The main dishes stand out, while the simpler options are ideal for beginners. It’s smart not to overdo the first course so everyone can fully savor the main course.
Below are three very simple starter ideas for Christmas lunches or dinners:
Cheese and peanut balls
Contents:
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250 grams of cream cheese
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150 grams of Kashar
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75 grams of peanuts
Detailing:
In a bowl, blend cream cheese with cheddar until smooth. Mix these two cheeses for a couple of minutes. Add chopped pistachios to part of the mixture to reserve for coating later. Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for about an hour to firm up. After chilling, shape the mixture into small balls and roll them in the chopped pistachios to coat evenly.
When serving, the balls can stand on their own or be paired with a saltine stick for easy good-grip servings.
Mini delicious pancakes
Contents:
You can expect about 20 to 25 mini pancakes with these ingredients.
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1 egg
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300 milliliters of milk
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50 grams of buckwheat flour
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40 grams of pastry flour
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Half a packet of dry baker’s yeast
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10 grams of butter
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Lemon juice
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Salt to taste
Detailing:
In a bowl, sift the two flours with yeast and a pinch of salt. Separately, whisk the egg yolk from the white and set the white aside. Reserve 60 milliliters of milk and add lemon juice to it. Warm the remaining milk with butter over low heat, then let it cool slightly. Stir in the yolk and whisk until it’s comfortable to touch. Add the reserved milk with lemon, continuing to whisk. Fold in the flour and yeast until a smooth, lump-free batter forms.
Whisk the reserved egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold a soft peak, then fold them into the batter with gentle enveloping motions until fully combined.
Lightly oil a skillet and heat over medium. Pour small circles of batter and flip once bubbles form. Cook until golden on both sides, repeating until all batter is used.
These mini pancakes pair wonderfully with cheese and jam, cheese and smoked salmon, pâté, avocado, or any combination that suits the guest’s taste.
Stuffed mushrooms
Contents
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Big mushrooms
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Bacon or York ham
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Grated cheese
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Ketchup
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Salt to taste
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Oil
Detailing
First, clean the mushrooms thoroughly to remove any sand. Trim the stems and hollow the caps slightly. Arrange the mushrooms on a baking tray and fill each with tomato base, bacon, and grated cheese to taste. Bake for 20 minutes at 180°C until the tops are bubbly and lightly browned, then serve hot.