Christmas Day Amuse-Bouche: Caprese Bites

Christmas Day 2012 has been a wonderful, roaring success in this household! My mom came over late yesterday afternoon and we had (traditional in my family) pan fried haddock for supper. Later, we sat in our jammies and watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation while eating some bacon wrapped water chestnuts. Mmmmm!

This morning my mom, HOTGI and I had a blast opening gifts and spending time together. It's been a pretty relaxing day here, the turkey is in the oven and we are all still in our jammies. I made my frittata for breakfast for mom and I (added chopped green, red and orange peppers leftover from Saturday's party) and then we all had pancakes for a second breakfast!

Since we're still kinda full this afternoon, nobody wanted lunch but our turkey dinner isn't for another couple hours, I decided to make a nice light snack, Caprese bites! They're pretty simple to make and are the perfect nibbley between meals.

All you need are:
- fresh basil leaves
- some small (cherry or grape) tomatoes
- fresh mozzarella, cut into small bites
- toothpicks
- olive oil & balsamic vinegar, for dipping (optional)

Assemble together with toothpicks, and ta-dah!

Now, in the middle of this plate is a small bowl with olive oil and traditional baslamic vinegar from one of the greatest small shops around, Liquid Gold! If you're ever in Halifax, Nova Scotia check them out, you'll be glad you did! I had it there for dipping the Caprese bites since I think olive oil and balsamic are the perfect complement.

And as I type this, the turkey will be ready to come out of the oven in just about an hour...

Merry Christmas everyone!

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Warm Bacon Cheese Dip

Since it's been forever and a day since I made my last blog post, this is my official apology. And to make it up to those loyal readers who have checked in just to see nothing new, tonight I am posting a new a recipe. For reals!

Last night, He-of-the-good-ideas and I hosted our annual Christmas party. At one point in the night I was taking some guest's coats upstairs and the noise of the combined voices and laughter of about 20 of our friends all mingling together made my heart so happy. We have some wonderful people in our lives and even if we don't see them very often, it's great to spend a night laughing and having fun with them (and doing shooters and daring each other to do headstands in the kitchen, etc) LOL!

Okay, so I had pretty much everyone ask me for this recipe last night but I feel like it should come with a disclaimer. There is a very good chance you will take one bite thinking "okay, so what, it's a cheese dip" and then before you know it, you're standing over it, shoveling it into your mouth like it holds the meaning to life...

Warm Bacon Cheese Dip
1 8oz package cream cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cups sour cream (don't go getting "light" sour cream either, that's just wrong)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup minced onion

Mix all ingredients together and press into a casserole dish/oven safe dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Serve with crackers. My personal recommendation is the original flavour triangle Triscuit, however I had mini pitas, Tostitos, regular Lays ripple chips, Breton minis, and sliced baguette on hand last night for dipping too. Oh, and a very clever Golden Santa Bread that my friend Jenny made!!

This dip is SERIOUSLY addictive... enjoy/I'm sorry.

When I was first putting it together I thought "gawd this makes a lot, I'll have lots of leftovers". No dice. The dish was wiped clean!!!

And since I didn't take a picture of dip after it came out of the oven, please accept this "WTF" picture of HOTGI doing a headstand in our kitchen...

Look what I can do!

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