11 Weeks of Wonder #5- Old Bay Party Nuts & Holiday Appetizers

Cheese and crackers?? That’s so last year.

Want to wow your guests this holiday season with a spread of delicious, foodie-worthy appetizers? Then you’ve come to the right place my friend! I’m about to share with you some of the very best holiday party appetizers ever created. EVER. I’ve searched high and low, sourcing appetizer recipes from some of the best bloggers out there, and I’m excited to introduce them to you today.

I promise you won’t find any of that dreaded 7 layer dip reminiscent of 1980 in this post! Instead, this collection of holiday appetizers features recipes with fresh, wholesome ingredients and sophisticated (even unexpected) flavor combinations. Spiced Marinated Feta, Oysters Rockefeller, and Pumpkin Crostini with Sage are just a few of the delectable bites I’ve rounded up for this special holiday appetizer post.

I’m also sharing one of my new favorite holiday appetizers- Old Bay Party Nuts! Being a Maryland gal, you know I’m bringing a Chesapeake twist to my holiday table. These Old Bay Party Nuts are so easy to prepare, you can have them ready to go in under 30 minutes. Warning, these nuts are delicious and sure to be a hit at any holiday festivity. My recipe makes about 3 cups of nuts, but you should probably make a double (or triple) batch… they’re going to disappear faster than you can say Ho Ho Ho!

Old Bay Party Nuts

Ingredients

1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1 cup cashews (unsalted), roughly chopped
1 cup almonds (unsalted), roughly chopped
4 TBS organic butter, melted
4 tsp Old Bay seasoning
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp organic honey
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Sriracha

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300*.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, Old Bay seasoning, Worcestershire, honey, garlic powder, and Sriracha. Stir to combine.
Add the chopped nuts to the mixing bowl and gently toss to combine. Make sure all of the nuts are evenly coated in the Old Bay mixture.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, spread the nuts into a single layer.
Bake for 10 minutes at 300*. Then, after 10 minutes, stir the nuts and place back in the oven. Bake for an additional 10 minutes at 300*.
Store in an air tight container.

Now, snuggle up with a glass of wine and check out these drool-worthy appetizers! I hope you brought your appetite and your holiday spirit! To view the complete recipe for the appetizers featured below, right click on the photo and open the post in another window.

Fellow Chesapeake Bay area blogger Laura of Tide and Thyme has taken Oysters Rockefeller to a whole new level! Oysters are a Maryland staple, and your guests are sure to love them too!

Cheese and crackers step aside! This holiday season serve this delicious Spiced Marinated Feta from Bijouxs!

I love polenta and this Arugula White Bean Polenta Bruschetta with Miso Balsamic drizzle from Veggies Don’t Bite looks absolutely amazing!

Meatballs get a glamorous makeover with these tasty Sweet and Sour Tempeh Meatballs from Oh My Veggies! Such a fun and festive bite of healthy deliciousness!

Everyone’s had spinach and artichoke dip, so mix it up this holiday season and wow your guests with this Creamy Brussels Sprout & Shallot Dip from Minimalist Baker. Don’t you want to reach through the screen and take a bite?!

Wine, goat cheese, and pumpkin are just a few of the scrumptious ingredients in this Pumpkin Crostini with Sage from Glamorous Bite! How gorgeous would this look sitting on your holiday table?!

My Old Bay Hummus has been known to get the party started! Bring it to your holiday festivities and watch it disappear in a flash.

Mmmm…. crab! These little Crispy Baked Crab Bites with Spicy Aoili are the perfect way to add a touch of coastal flair to your holiday party. Fellow Maryland blogger Katya of Little Broken has baked up a tasty alternative to traditional crab balls.

Somehow, Molly of Yes to Yolks, has managed to combine all of my favorite things into one impressive bite sized dish! This Smoked Mozzarella Arancini with Thyme and Truffle Honey is absolutely irresistible!

Earthy mushrooms stuffed with ooey-gooey cheese? YES PLEASE! These Caprese Stuffed Mushrooms from Taylor Made Market would be perfect for any holiday party!