A dozen delectable party noshes

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - Appetizers are much in demand during the holiday entertaining season _ to nibble with drinks as you chat with your guests before dinner, to offer sophisticated sustenance for a cocktail party or open house, to bring out when neighbors drop in bearing gifts, to munch with family by the fireplace on Christmas Eve or on the cusp of the New Year.

The ideal appetizer, it seems to us, is one that is simple but not cliched, easy to eat while standing or perched on a sofa; one that can be made in advance and eaten at room temperature; and one that you're not likely to see on all your friends' cocktail tables.

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Here are a dozen such dishes, one for each of the 12 Days of Christmas.

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We've included recipes for guests of all stripes, from vegans to the gluten-intolerant, and we've tried to keep the recipes festive and special without being over-the-top extravagant. For pricey ingredients, such as shrimp or imported meats, cheeses and nuts, the secret is to choose recipes so packed with flavor that a little goes a long way. You may have been able to afford a side of smoked salmon last year, but this year you might want to buy a lot less and stretch it with our luxe but sensible smoked-salmon spread.

Our selections range from a seasonal take on the ubiquitous crudite platter, spotlighting winter vegetables such as fennel and beets, to a dish that's de rigueur on many traditional Southern party tables _ pickled shrimp, a hardier alternative to trendy ceviches.

Marcona almonds with smoked paprika and garlic

Fat, rich Marcona almonds from Spain are addictive enough plain; the Spanish smoked paprika (buy it in gourmet markets) and garlic add another dimension.

You can make this with plain whole toasted almonds if you don't want to spring for the pricey Marconas (they're sold in gourmet markets), but you may need to increase the amount of oil by a teaspoon or so.

Serves 8 as part of a cocktail spread

About 1 tablespoon oil

2 large or 4 small cloves garlic

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

˝ pound Marcona almonds

Salt to taste

1. Place a large skillet over medium-low heat and film with oil. If there is any excess oil at the bottom of the container of almonds, add it to the skillet.

2. With the flat of a chef's knife, smash the garlic cloves; discard peel and add garlic to skillet. Saute about 5 minutes, until garlic is just starting to color, lowering heat if the garlic threatens to burn. Remove and discard garlic; keep skillet on burner.

3. Add the smoked paprika to the skillet and stir to make a paste. Add the almonds and stir constantly until they are thoroughly coated and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Allow to cool in pan.

4. When cool enough to taste, check for seasoning and add salt if necessary. Most Marconas are sold salted, so they may not need more salt. If you make these more than a day or so ahead, refrigerate them and bring them to room temperature before serving.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 184 calories, 17 grams fat, 6 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams protein, no cholesterol, 20 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber, 76 percent of calories from fat.

_Amy Culbertson

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LEEK CHIPS

Yields about 2 cups

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium-size leeks (1 ˝ inches in diameter)

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a large baking tray with foil and coat with the oil.

2. Remove and discard the dark-green leaves from the leeks; slice off about Ľ inch from the root end as well, leaving the white and pale-green portions only. Use a very sharp knife to cut the leek into Ľ-inch slices, then transfer them to a large bowl of cold water. Use your fingers and thumb to separate the slices into rings, then swish the pieces around vigorously to remove any sand or grit from between the layers. Lift the leek rings out of the water and transfer them to a colander in the sink. Drain thoroughly (you can spin them in a salad spinner), then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

3. Distribute the leek rings onto the prepared baking tray and toss to coat with the oil. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown and crisp. Some rings may be ready to remove at 30 minutes; others may take up to 60 minutes or longer_just remove them as they are done.

4. Drain on paper towels and season to taste with a little salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Nutritional analysis per 2-tablespoon serving: 17 calories, 1 gram fat, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, no cholesterol, 11 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber, 53 percent of calories from fat.

_Mollie Katzen, Tribune Media Services

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MARINATED OLIVES WITH TANGERINE AND ROSEMARY

"The olives need to marinate for at least two days, so plan ahead. If you like things spicy, you can increase the amount of crushed red pepper"

Yields about 3 cups

1 pound assorted olives (such as kalamata, Gaeta and Picholine)

1 small tangerine, cut into 4 wedges, each wedge thinly sliced crosswise

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed

1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1. Drain olives, if in brine. Combine all ingredients in a large glass jar with lid; mix well. Cover and refrigerate 2 days, turning and shaking the jar several times.

Nutritional analysis per 2-tablespoon serving: 24 calories, 2 grams fat, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, no cholesterol, 165 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 72 percent of calories from fat.

_"The Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook," by Barbara Fairchild (Wiley, $34.95)

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WINTER CRUDITES

"This is more a template than a recipe, customizable according to your taste, to what vegetables are available or affordable, and to what size group you're serving, so we're not giving exact measurements, number of servings or a nutritional breakdown. You want each vegetable piece to be bite-size. You'll need a mandoline to slice the fennel and beets.

Radishes, beets and cauliflower are now available in several colors; mixing colors of each would provide maximum visual impact. Other vegetables you might consider are small turnips, sliced into very thin rounds with a mandoline, and celeriac, peeled, quartered and sliced very thinly with a mandoline"

Small bulb fennel

2 bunches small radishes with tops

2 or 3 ribs celery

1 bunch small beets

1 head cauliflower or romanesco

1 or 2 bunches baby carrots, the smallest you can find, with tops

Purchased hummus or dip of preference

1. Wash all vegetables thoroughly.

2. Trim fennel and slice it finely with a mandoline, reserving tops for garnish, if desired.

3. Trim tops of radishes, leaving an inch or so of stems for handles. Halve the radishes.

4. If celery has leafy tops, trim them and reserve for crudites plate. Remove tough strings from celery ribs by skimming the outside of each rib with a swivel-bladed peeler, then slice celery on an extreme diagonal to produce long, thin slices.

5. Trim greens and roots from beets; peel and slice into very thin rounds with a mandoline. If beets are more than a couple of inches in diameter, halve them before slicing.

6. Cut cauliflower or romanesco into small florets.

7. Trim off leafy tops of carrots, leaving an inch or two of stems for handles. Peel carrots with swivel-bladed peeler.

8. Arrange vegetables on a platter around a dish of purchased hummus, drizzled with a little olive oil and scattered with fennel tops, if desired. We love the Sabra hummus, at some Tom Thumb, Costco and Sam's Club stores. You could also use a thick, mustardy vinaigrette for dipping, or a buttermilk-based dressing sparked with chopped fresh dill _ or all three dips.

_Amy Culbertson

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FETA WITH BLACK PEPPER AND THYME

"This appetizer couldn't be simpler, but you must use good feta, good olive oil, freshly cracked black pepper in a very coarse grind, and fresh thyme. Generally, domestic fetas are the mildest and Bulgarian fetas the sharpest; Greek, Israeli and French fetas are good middle-ground choices. The gourmet markets are good sources, as is George's Specialty Foods, 4424 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth. Taste the olive oil to make sure it is fresh; olive oils can become rancid quickly. Again, no exact measurements or nutritional numbers"

Block of feta, drained of brine

Extra-virgin olive oil

Coarsely cracked black pepper

Fresh thyme on the stem

1. Cut the feta into rough bite-size cubes and arrange on a plate.

2. Drizzle all over with olive oil. Shower with pepper.

3. Pull the thyme stems through your fingers to remove the leaves; discard woody stems. Sprinkle feta with thyme leaves.

4. Serve with toothpicks to spear the cheese cubes.

_Amy Culbertson

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PECORINO CRACKERS

Yields 24 crackers

1 Ľ cups freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese

˝ teaspoon salt

˝ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

˝ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup all-purpose flour

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together cheese, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Add the butter; with an electric mixer, beat cheese mixture and butter together until combined. Add the flour Ľ cup at a time, mixing only until flour is incorporated and mixture holds together.

3. Place tablespoon-size balls of dough on the parchment-lined baking sheets, flattening the dough slightly with your fingertips. Bake until just beginning to brown at the edges, about 15 minutes. Let the crackers cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a serving plate or a resealable plastic bag to store at room temperature.

Nutritional analysis per cracker: 69 calories, 5 grams fat, 4 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, 24 milligrams cholesterol, 123 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber, 64 percent of calories from fat.

_"Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites," by Giada De Laurentiis (Clarkson Potter, $32.50)

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OVEN-CHARRED SESAME GREEN BEANS

"If you like Szechuan green beans, you'll like these little nibbles. Try to get beans that are close to the same size, so they will cook at the same rate. If some are larger, snap them in half.

You can find the Asian chili oil and sesame oil in the Asian section of the supermarket or in Asian markets. Make sure you buy dark sesame oil _ sometimes labeled "black" or "toasted" _ not light sesame oil. Keep it refrigerated"

Serves 8 as part of a cocktail spread

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons Asian chili oil

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

2 large or 4 small garlic cloves

1 pound green beans

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Coarse kosher or sea salt

1. Combine vegetable, chili and sesame oils in a microwave-safe container. With the flat of a chef's knife, smash the garlic cloves; remove and discard peel and add garlic to oil. Cover with a paper towel and microwave on full power for 30 seconds. Let sit while you prepare the beans.

2. Top and tail green beans, rinse them thoroughly and then whirl in a salad spinner to remove excess moisture. Pat completely dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel.

3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread beans out in one layer in two rimmed baking sheets. Remove garlic from oil and discard; drizzle oil over beans and toss beans until all are coated with oil.

4. Roast beans 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size, stirring and rotating pans halfway through. Beans should be browned in spots and beginning to shrivel. Remove from oven and drain on paper towels.

5. While beans are roasting, toast sesame seeds in a skillet over low heat, shaking pan and stirring frequently until fragrant; then remove from heat.

6. Sprinkle hot beans with sesame seeds and coarse salt to taste. Store in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 92 calories, 8 grams fat, 4 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, no cholesterol, 18 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber, 76 percent of calories from fat.

_Amy Culbertson

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AVOCADO, CHIPOTLE AND CILANTRO ROUNDS

"To make chipotle puree, in a food processor, puree contents of a 7-ounce can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Transfer to a plastic container and store in freezer. You'll find many uses for this, from sparking up a salad dressing to stirring into pasta sauce to livening up canned beans."

Yields 16 rounds

2 pieces lavash flatbread (you can use large flour tortillas if you can't find lavash)

Ľ cup mayonnaise

˝ teaspoon chipotle puree, or more to taste

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 Roma tomato, chopped (optional)

1. Place the flatbreads on a work surface. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and chipotle puree. Spread half of mixture on each flatbread. Sprinkle each with half of the chopped avocado, cilantro and tomato, if using. Roll each flatbread tightly into a log. If serving immediately, cut crosswise into 8 slices; if making ahead, wrap each roll tightly in plastic wrap and slice into rounds just before serving.

Nutritional analysis per round: 73 calories, 5 grams fat, 6 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 1 milligram cholesterol, 64 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 63 percent of calories from fat.

_Cox News Service

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SERRANO AND MANCHEGO CANAPES

"I generally prefer Spanish serrano ham to Italian prosciutto, and Manchego cheese from Spain is the logical accompaniment. Both are flavorful enough that a little goes a long way. Buy the serrano at the deli of a gourmet market and have it sliced as thinly as possible. Manchego becomes harder and more assertively flavored with age; I used 12-month-aged Manchego for these.

These should not be made more than an hour or so in advance; they cannot be refrigerated. You can cut the figs and roasted peppers in advance and refrigerate them separately, however. Cover the finished trays tightly with plastic wrap to keep cheese and ham from drying out.

Amounts are approximate, depending on the size of your crackers."

Yields about 36 canapes

1/8 pound Manchego cheese

Ľ pound serrano ham, in very thin slices

2 ounces dried figs, about

5 or 6

1 large roasted red pepper from a jar, drained, seeds

removed

1. Top each cracker with a very thin slice of cheese; a hand-held cheese slicer or shaver works best here.

2. Cut the ham slices into pieces and arrange pieces attractively on top of the cheese.

3. Cut dried figs into slivers and cut roasted pepper into strips that will fit on the crackers. Top half the canapes with figs and half with the roasted pepper strips.

Nutritional analysis per canape: 17 calories, 1 gram fat, 1 gram carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 3 milligrams cholesterol, 48 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 43 percent of calories from fat.

_Amy Culbertson

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LEMONY SMOKED-SALMON SPREAD WITH BAGEL CHIPS

Yields about 2 cups

˝ medium red onion, cut roughly into chunks

1/3 cup capers, drained (or rinsed, if salt-packed)

˝ bunch dill (save a few fronds for garnish)

Ľ pound smoked salmon, separated into slices or cut into chunks

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

8 ounces (1 package) cream cheese (reduced-fat is fine), softened

1/3 cup Greek-style unflavored yogurt

1. Pulse red onion in food processor until finely chopped. Add capers, dill and smoked salmon and pulse until chopped. Add lemon juice and zest; pulse briefly to mix. Add cream cheese and yogurt and pulse until blended. You will likely need to scrape down the work bowl several times during the processing.

2. Scrape into a container and store, covered tightly, in refrigerator. When ready to serve, mound in a bowl and garnish with dill. Serve with bagel chips.

Nutritional analysis per 1-tablespoon serving: 35 calories, 3 grams fat, 1 gram carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 9 milligrams cholesterol, 94 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber, 73 percent of calories from fat.

_Amy Culbertson

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PICKLED SHRIMP

Serves 12

2 cups apple cider vinegar

˝ cup mixed pickling spices

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled

˝ teaspoon dry mustard

1 medium red onion

1 lemon

3 pounds cooked, peeled large shrimp

4 bay leaves

1 ˝ cups olive oil

1. Combine vinegar, pickling spices, salt, peppercorns, ginger and dry mustard in a nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

2. Slice the onion and lemon thinly. Scatter the slices in the bottom of a serving bowl (glass is lovely). Top with shrimp. Add bay leaves. Pour olive oil over all.

3. When the vinegar is cool, pour it through a strainer into the shrimp bowl. Shake the bowl to settle the shrimp into the vinegar mixture. If the liquid doesn't cover the shrimp, add a little water. Cover and chill at least overnight. The shrimp keeps up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Serve cold with toothpicks for spearing.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 392 calories, 30 grams fat, 8 grams carbohydrates, 24 grams protein, 173 milligrams cholesterol, 526 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 68 percent of calories from fat.

_"Derby 101: A Guide to Food and Menus for Kentucky Derby Week" by Sarah Fritschner (Butler Books, 2004)

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CANDIED RED-GRAPEFRUIT RIND

"This sophisticated tart-sweet nibble will satisfy guests who want something sweet even during the cocktail hour, and it's a perfect foil for rich cheeses. You may want to seek out organic grapefruit, to be certain the rind is free of pesticides, and be sure to wash the fruit thoroughly."

Serves 6

1 cup water

2 cups honey

Peel from one grapefruit (red if possible), cut into strips about Ľ inch thick and 1 ˝ to 2 inches long

1 cup granulated sugar

1. Combine water and honey in a saucepan, bring to a boil and lower heat to maintain a simmer. Add grapefruit pieces and simmer for 40 minutes.

2. Remove pan from heat and let grapefruit sit in honey syrup for at least an hour or overnight.

3. Remove strips from syrup and roll in sugar.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 480 calories, trace fat, 128 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 6 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber, 0 percent of calories from fat.

_Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board

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TIPS

In "Town & Country Elegant Entertaining" by Francine Maroukian (Hearst Books, $24.95), Memphis hostess Jean Price offers advice on finger food:

For ease of eating and to avoid spills, one-bite tidbits are best.

For items skewered on picks, serve only one on each pick.

For hors d'oeuvres served with toothpicks, as several of our recipes are, cut a lemon or orange in half, shave a tiny slice off the bottom so it doesn't roll, and place it on the tray so that guests can stick their discarded picks in it.

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© 2008, Fort Worth Star-Telegram.