Pesto Poppers

Hey-YO!

Christmas is NEXT WEEK?!? WHAT? I know crazy.

So I know I’ve already told you that I’m all done shopping and wrapping gifts but for some reason this year I don’t feel super ‘Christmas-y’. I mean it’s five freaking days away! I’m hoping once I have one of my many family Christmas gatherings this weekend, I’ll feel more festive 🙂

The holidays are full of yummy food, get-togethers with friends, drinks, parties. And if you’re anything like me, your fiance will spring a commitment on you the hour before and “oh-you’re supposed to make something and bring it”……

I mean that didn’t happen or anything….

Well if you find yourself in the same situation or you have unexpected guests this holiday season (or really any time of the year!) this super fast and delicious appetizer will be your saving grace.

Not only are they great- but they seem like they’d take forever yet can be whipped up in about 10 minutes!

Behold the Pesto Popper

Pesto Poppers

Ingredients:

Puff Pastry Dough
Mozzarella Cheese (I think the fresh would be best)
Pre-made pesto
Toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Follow puff Pastry directions to thaw accordingly. Using a lightly floured surface and a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry. Then using a cookie or biscuit cutter(*I used a drinking glass since i didn’t have a round cutter) cut out circles. You can keep rolling out the dough to get as many circles as you can.

In the center of each place a dollop of pesto and a chunk of cheese.

Pull all sides together and secure with two toothpicks per popper (sort of making a ‘X’). Place on a baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes, or beautifully brown.

Remove from the oven and take out the toothpicks. Serve warm or room temp, although I’m partial to warm since the cheese is still gooey 🙂

There you have it! See? So easy and good. And everyone will ask you how to made these. I think the puff pastry makes them ‘elegant’. You could also do so many flavor combinations for these. I’m really digging the idea of a tapenade or roasted red pepper version.

If you guys make these and try different flavors- PLEASE come back and tell me how they turned out 🙂

Hope you all enjoy this, enjoy this weekend, and if you’re traveling for the holidays in the coming days, travel safe and I hope everything goes as planned.

xoxo

Christmas Cranberry Mojitos

Ok really these can be enjoyed more than just at Christmas time but the red and green thing is pretty cute for around the Holidays. This was a great light and refreshing cocktail! I am crazy for anything with lime juice so I was digging this recipe. My only thing was that I might try it with Sprite or clear soda next time instead of seltzer water. But none the less, I obviously had more than one of these bad boys 🙂

Ingredients:

10 oz. fresh cranberries
1 C sugar
1 C water
20 mint leaves
Fresh lime juice
Ice
4 oz. rum (or gin)
4-6 oz. soda water

Instructions:

1) Place cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Then lower the heat a bit to medium-low and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, just until your berries start bursting then remove from heat.

2) Once the berry mixture has cooled, you can strain them. If you prefer, you can keep the mixture in the fridge for a couple hours or overnight before straining.

3) Put some leaves of mint and a Tbs of lime juice in each glass. With the back of a wooden spoon or a muddler mash the mint up.

4) Put ice in each glass and pour 2 oz. of the cranberry syrup and 2 oz. alcohol into each glass.

5) Top off each glass with soda water. And sprinkle some fresh cranberries in for garnish.

(I’m not gonna lie to you- I made those measurements up. I pretty much just put a good helping of booze and syrup in there and topped with the soda water. Basically all depends how strong you want it!) enjoyyyyyy!

xoxo