What Are Snacks I Can Serve That Are Not Too Filling?

By Mark Bittman
Q.

While I’m not enthusiastic about hors d’oeuvres or snacks before Thanksgiving meals, some of my guests expect them. What can I serve that’s not too filling (or time consuming)? — Deborah, San Diego

We have 35 for dinner and it takes hours to even sit down, what appetizers do we have that are not too filling, can be made in advance, and go with wine and beer? — Frank, Kansas City

A.

Stressed? Less time than you need, more guests than you invited? The solution may not be to freak out and go full speed in the kitchen all day but to pick recipes that are impressive, delicious – and easy. These three, which I’ve written about before, fit the bill: prosciutto, fig and parmesan rolls, marinated olives and figs stuffed with goat cheese. In fact, you can make all of them in an hour.

Nibbles for Holiday Entertaining

Mark Bittman prepares simple, sophisticated bites for your holiday platter.

By Gabe Johnson|Krishnan Vasudevan on November 23, 2011. Photo by Craig Lee for The New York Times.


Print Recipe

Marinated Olives

Yield 6 to 12 servings.

Time 1 hour, largely unattended

Mark Bittman

Ingredients
  • 6 cups assorted olives
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or rosemary leaves (or 1 teaspoon crumbled dried leaves)
  • 1 lemon, cut in half and pulp removed as you would from a grapefruit.
Method
  • Toss all ingredients together in a bowl. Marinate at room temperature for at least an hour, or as long as 12 hours. Before serving, marinated olives may be refrigerated, but they should be removed from refrigerator an hour or two before serving.

Source: The New York Times

Figs Stuffed With Goat Cheese

Yield About 12 servings

Time 15 minutes

Mark Bittman

Ingredients
  • 2 ounces, approximately, of soft, fresh goat cheese
  • 1 tablespoon good balsamic vinegar
  • 12 fresh figs, washed and drained.
Method
  • 1. Use your fingers to roll the goat cheese into 24 small balls, each 1/2 inch or less in diameter. Place them on a plate, and drizzle them with vinegar. Shake gently to coat evenly.
  • 2. Cut figs in half. Press a cheese ball into the center of each fig; as they are stuffed, return them, stuffed side up, to the plate where the cheese was coated in vinegar. Serve within an hour.

Source: The New York Times

Prosciutto, Fig and Parmesan Rolls

Yield 20 rolls

Time 20 minutes

Mark Bittman

Ingredients
  • 10 very thin slices prosciutto
  • About 1/4 pound Parmesan, sliced wafer thin
  • 8 to 10 dried figs, stemmed and cut into about 3 strips each
  • Truffle or olive oil.
Method
  • 1. Cut each piece of prosciutto in half the long way; on each piece, put a slice of Parmesan and a strip of fig. Roll up the long way, pressing so meat sticks to itself. Cover with plastic wrap if not serving right away.
  • 2. Serve within 2 hours, drizzling truffle or olive oil on top just before serving.

Source: The New York Times

help line

The Dining staff is taking questions on cooking, drinking, entertaining or any other holiday hurdles. Tweet us at @nytimesdining using the hashtag #ThanksgivingQs, or post a question, and browse other readers’ questions, here. Thanksgiving recipes, videos and more are here.