Would you like a snowflake with your appetizer?

December 21, 2016 9:51 AM

I need help finding an appetizer for Christmas Day! Complications: travel, dietary preferences, pregnant cousin.

My aunt has asked me to bring an appetizer for Christmas. I am known for complicated, delicious food. I don't mind a challenge as long as it will hold up to time/travel.

I will be traveling Friday to see my bf's family, and driving straight to my aunt's on Christmas day. I could swing by my apartment, but that adds an hour to my trip (though I might stop by anyhow to check on the cat and pick up a last-minute package). I'm looking for an app I can either make ahead or pick up the ingredients for ahead of time / on Christmas day.

Dietary preferences: My aunt isn't fond of cheese (I was thinking of a cheese log/plate until I remembered). My cousin's wife is super pregnant - like any day now. I have no idea what that means in terms of what she can/can't eat. There are no dietary restrictions per se.

posted by DoubleLune to Food & Drink (9 answers total)

Pregnant women shouldn't eat raw fish or cured meat, last I heard.

If you can use an oven at your aunt's home, the phyllo triangles from the Silver Palate cookbooks are great. You can make them ahead, freeze them, keep them frozen at your bf's family's home, and then throw them onto a cookie sheet and bake while still frozen. They're fancy and complicated and delicious. Granted, two of the three fillings have cheese (ricotta and feta, respectively), and one is rosemary & proscuitto, so I wouldn't make that one b/c of pregnant cousin, but the fillings with cheese use the cheese as a binder and to make the filling a little gooey, so they're not cheese heavy in the taste experience.

I've made these for several parties and family holiday celebrations and they're always gobbled up like mad.
posted by janey47 at 10:20 AM on December 21, 2016 [1 favorite]

Asian Chicken Meatballs Always a big hit.
posted by Dolley at 10:20 AM on December 21, 2016 [1 favorite]

Here's a comprehensive list of foods to avoid during pregnancy -- people are more or less strict with this list, but to be safe I would just go ahead and avoid the things on it.

The potato wedges w/ blue cheese sauce printed at the bottom of this article are one of my all-time favorite appetizers.

I have made it ahead and transported it. I prepared the recipe up through arranging everything on the baking sheet, covered it tightly, and then baked the potatoes once I got to my destination. I think it would also work to cook the potatoes whole (until tender) and store them in one container, and then make the bacon oil and store that in a separate container, and wait to slice the potatoes and toss together and bake at your destination.

Given your aunt's opposition to cheese and the fact that your cousin's wife may not want to eat soft cheese (I'm not sure if blue cheese counts as soft cheese, but maybe it does?), I would make an alternate dipping sauce either instead of or in addition to the blue cheese sauce -- I think a homemade buttermilk ranch would be fantastic here as it would still have the creamy element with none of the cheese.

These potatoes have been a big hit whenever I have served them! I would suggest making a double or even triple recipe depending on the size of your crowd.
posted by rainbowbrite at 11:19 AM on December 21, 2016

Best answer: Maybe some kind of quick pickle plate?

Some good stuff (including dips/spreads) are here.

This also looks pretty.

The advantage of pickles is you can make them before you travel and it will still look like you did something complicated. The other advantage is that they are refreshing and clean feeling before a big meal. And pregnant people stereotypically crave pickles (I did.)
posted by vunder at 11:27 AM on December 21, 2016

Spanakopita was my first thought. If you can't find pasteurized feta, use cottage cheese, draining out as much water as you can. I suppose you could also use crumbled tofu. Heat on site.

Pregnant women are prone to heartburn which may bias you away from some spicy options.
posted by SemiSalt at 12:19 PM on December 21, 2016

Bacon Wrapped Dates?
posted by sarajane at 12:54 PM on December 21, 2016

Mostly because I am craving the hell out of it, I suggest this olive tapenade pull-apart bread (the bread is homemeade, not canned biscuits or whatever). You can use the olive mix of your choice (I like a green-and-black almost muffaletta-dressing-like olive salad).

It's good as-is, and it's also good with a dip/spread, and/or with a cold cut plate or similar. Make homemade two minute mayo and get some good grainy mustard, serve with ham or smoked turkey.
posted by Lyn Never at 12:59 PM on December 21, 2016

Best answer: As a currently-pregnant person, any of the cheeses or meats are fine as long as they are cooked. It's only if they are raw/unpasturised/listeria risk and uncooked that the problem arises. Pate and liver generally has too much vitamin A so that's out, and certain fish that contain high levels of mercury are not ideal (you can't have too much).

So basically anything that you would normally cook as long as it's cooked.
posted by kadia_a at 1:31 PM on December 21, 2016

Fresh cut vegetables on a platter with some hummus or ranch dip? Something good and healthy for people to nosh on before the big meal.
posted by spinifex23 at 3:50 PM on December 21, 2016