Christmas canapes

[mauvish]

Suggestions needed please!

I'm cooking Xmas dinner this year. My OH is no cook so will be on wine pouring and washing up duties; my DD will be 38 weeks preg so I don't expect her to move much; her OH will be keeping my toddler DGD out of harms way. So I'll be the only cook really. I like cooking so that's ok.

I don't want to do a sit-down 1st course for Xmas dinner as either I'll be unable to join in, or there'll be a very long wait until the mains are ready. So nibbles it will have to be. Something savory, very light, easy to eat away from the table and v easy to prep in advance. Nothing ultra-processed, I'd much rather make from scratch. (I hate the look of those prepackaged "party foods" in pastry etc!) Suggestions please!

Make a cold starter. Prep ahead and serve just as everything else is ready and by thr time you've eaten it , you and your husband can dish up the main course.

Alternatively do a sharing platter of charcuterie, cheese, dips, crackers etc.

To be honest though, we never bother with a starter as the main meal is so filling there's no need. Just have a few dishes of crisps etc

Prawn cocktail skewers https://www.foodiebook.co.uk/recipe/canapes-and-nibbles/27/all-cuisine/0/all-food/0/cocktail-prawn-on-a-stick/588/

We do this.
have done the following over the years…

Hummus and bread sticks
Crisps
smoked salmon and cream cheese on rye bread.
Falafels
Some nice bread and butter
Pate
Cheese straws
satay

These are amazing
Make ahead and freeze , then cook from frozen really quickly
Xmas fav in our house

Also mini Yorkshire puddings ( again can cook and freeze), dollop of whipped cream mixed with horseradish sauce and pepper, small slice cooked steak/beef

Oops link

www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2069060/Recipe-Wonderful-souffl-croutons.html

We buy (though you could easily make in advance) lots of mini blinis, and I get the kids to put cream cheese on each, then smoked salmon pieces on some and various nice cured meats on others. No oven needed, and you can cut up all the little pieces of salmon / ham first to save on assembly time.

Keep to simple things as you've already got a lot to do.

Hard boiled quail eggs with celery salt

Lumpfish or salmon caviar on toast fingers

Bowls of olives, caper berries, cubes of feta and edam

Spanish omelette cut into cubes when cold

Selection of different salami, ham, etc

we do blinis with a mix of smoked salmon and serrano ham and pate. It is DD2's job to make the blinis. She sometimes makes them on Christmas morning, sometimes in advance. Nicer than the bought ones but not as small or regular in size! We have a crepe maker which she uses.

I made the glazed pigs in blankets from this link last year and they were a real crowdpleaser. The glaze and herbs can be prepped in advance so comes together very quickly. I also like the look of the chicory boats which are lighter so more up your street, but due to the combined preferences of my family didn't end up making them.

Stuffed mushrooms

Easy: bowls of nuts, olives, crudités

We do very simple smoked salmon on brown bread & butter .. or blinis if you want to be a bit posher ... add a few bowls of crisps, nuts etc cheese footballs.

Love smoked salmon on brown bread and butter. But we found the blinis were easier for nibbling standing up etc and getting pre made on trays, and the salmon and bread better for sitting around table and helping ourselves. I buy lots of salmon so we can have the bread butter and lemon option for a full on lunch at some other time around Xmas!

I usually do smoked salmon with creme fraiche on blinis - done a few hours ahead. Then baked camembert - bake a whole one (or 2 if there are lots of you) and stick on platter with bread sticks/ French loaves, some chutney/fruit. I have a special platter the holds a whole camembert with space around it for bread etc.

I see a lot of people have already mentioned smoked salmon & creme fraiche on blinis, which is what we always have! To make it even easier, co-op do a really nice salmon pate/mousse I have just discovered which we'll be doing this year because it's so much less faff!
I get out my three tier cake stand for starters so I can just load it up but it looks like I've made more of an effort than I have. Blinis on the bottom tier, olives & charcuterie on the middle, then something like endive with blue cheese & walnuts on the top. Dead easy, no cooking, no extra washing up & you can do most of it in advance.

Fab idea to use a tiered stand

One other thing we do in our family is wrap cooked (limp) streaky bacon around large stuffed green olives, then pop under the grill for a few minutes to sizzle.

Sounds weird (and is not for those on low-sodium regimens) but it's quite a taste sensation. Secure with a wooden pick. Sometimes I make them for myself for dinner! Very meaty and filling.

@3smallpups I love my cake stand! It only comes out for birthdays/Christmas so it makes things feel a bit more special. No one has yet noticed I use it when I know I'm going to be tied to the kitchen

I don't know why I hadn't thought of using my cake stand for savoury stuff - makes it look so special. Someone posted on another thread a pic of different coloured grapea and satsumas on a tiered stand - definitely looked classier than just being dumped on a plate!

OP, we don't do starters but I would also go for something like smoked salmon on rye or blinis. Or pear/pineapple cubes wrapped in Parma ham. Or mini prawn cocktails in shot glasses.

Nibbles ofyeb take longer to prepare than a simple starter though.