Get my Email Exclusives!
Subscriber-only goodness delivered straight to you.
Real Food Liz/Liz Wolfe is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Regarding other affiliate links and affiliate relationships: I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. An underlined hyperlink denotes a sponsored, affiliate or Amazon Services LLC link from which I earn or have earned a fee. For more information, click here.
There are certain things that are simply NOT socially acceptable. Like this. And especially this:
If you've ever been a member of a church, military community, or book club; if you've ever had a job, an email address, or a dentist's appointment; you've probably been invited (or e-vited) to a holiday party.
And since there's always a catch…you've probably been asked to bring something edible with you. And that something is likely NOT a vegetable loaf.
When I'm assigned an appetizer or a main dish, I always breathe a sigh of relief. Everyone loves a good charcuterie plate or mini (gluten free) meatballs. Prosciutto-wrapped melon balls are always good. Ya know, anything you can stab with a toothpick.
But when I'm assigned a dessert…I feel like this:
Because I can't tell people that meat IS an appetizer, a main dish, AND a dessert, for cripe's sake, I've got to come up with something yummy. Something that's not beef, bacon or butter. And something that I actually like eating. (Because if you don't eat your own dish, people will think you're trying to poison them.)
I don't live in a Paleo bubble. Many of my friends and acquaintances don't even know I'm a closet loincloth-wearer. I don't believe in foisting my food choices upon others who are just there to eat, drink, and be merry. But I also don't want to be the girl who abstains from all party-eating because my likes and dislikes aren't always in-line with others'. I don't want to be drenched in, like, Canola Oil at the Christmas Party prom (name that movie reference) because everybody things I'm weird. I want to bring something yummy that I also want to eat.
Unfortunately, I've exhausted the (amazing, incredible, fudgy, delicious) Ditch the Wheat's Flourless Brownie party trick. It's time to add to my repertoire. These are the treats on my party menu this season.
#1: Bacon-wrapped dates.
These are super easy. Grab some pitted dates, stuff with a pecan or goat cheese, wrap in a strip of quality bacon and secure with a wooden toothpick. Bake on a rack on top of a cookie sheet (so the bacon drippings fall away) at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes (you may have to play with timing, depending on how crispy you like your bacon).
I recommend stuffing the dates with something soft. Pecans are easily chewable. If you stuff them with tougher nuts, like almonds, folks may freak out that they've bit down on a pit. Nobody wants a broken tooth for Christmas.
#2: Roasted plantain with cinnamon
I think bananas are devil spawn, but I absolutely love plantains. Choose the ones that are turning black and feel soft. Peel and slice, drizzle with coconut oil and cinnamon, and bake on parchment paper for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. They are amazing dipped in coconut whipped cream. People will go nuts for these. They will hoard them and squirrel away in the corner and the party will get weird. And that's how you know you're at a great party.
And finally, #3: The most amazing cookies in the world. Also known as: Cappello's gluten-free slice & bake cookies by Primal Palate.
So…the world of grain-free enjoyment just got a million times better.
Bill and Hayley of Primal Palate got together with the grain-free geniuses at Cappello's and put together a delicious, convenient, delicious, did I mention delicious, screw-up-proof slice & bake cookie dough. If you can keep from eating it straight from the roll (I couldn't) you will end up with some incredible, chewy-yet-biteable chocolate chip cookies.
You know that perfect balance between a nice, crisp cookie and a perfectly soft, melty, chewy center? These are it.
These are well worth the holiday investment.
Be sure to share your holiday yummy favorites in the comments! And if you think this Public Service Announcement post could help someone you care about, feel free to tweet it, pin it, and facebook it! I'd be ever so grateful.
Thanks for reading!
Want more? Try my Email Exclusives!
Stay in the know & get exclusive subscriber-only goodies!
omg the dawson pic made me lol. thanks for the ideas!
How long do those bacon dates last? I mean, things with bacon don’t usually last in any kitchen with sticky fingers, but do they keep, say if I wanted to make them the day before a party or are they best served right out of the oven? …The more I think about this, the more I am sensing the answer is anything with bacon must be enjoyed immediately. LOL
Hi there, loved your post! I’m not a full on paleo, I just enjoy pretty much everything in terms of food, but do a seasonal local diet. I take a page out of a lot of different books. Anyway, here is a recipe that you could alter just a tiny bit to make it work for you. It includes some purple sugar for decoration which is just as edible as it looks- but you can easily skip that. Mostly, it’s just fruit and nuts all ground up and formed into balls. I brought my variation of these to my family party, but they all just ate my sugar cookies. Oh well, more for me! Thanks for your great tips.
http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2012/12/sparkly-sugar-plums-for-christmas.html