Easy holiday appetizers for busy parents.

These days, my pre-kids, "Pinterest Wonder-Woman" life is a thing of the past. I don't know about you, but I basically have a delivery service drop my holiday groceries off on my porch, leaving me about 5-10 minutes to whip up a delicious appetizer for the get-togethers we attend over the holidays. If you're a busy parent, or any human being looking for a short-cut this holiday season, I have a few EASY and delicious appetizer recipes for your next holiday party or get-together.

BACON-WRAPPED BRUSSLES SPROUTS

Ingredients: 

1 lbs. brussles sprouts
1 package (16 oz. thick-cut bacon)
Real maple syrup

This recipe is beyond easy, and are a hit with brussles sprouts lovers AND non-brussles sprouts lovers! Simply wash, dry, then slice each brussles sprout in half. Slice your stack of bacon right down the middle, doubling your number of bacon strips. Wrap each brussles sprout half in a piece (half of a full piece) of bacon, then place in a baking pan or dish. Drizzle all wrapped brussles sprouts with real maple syrup, then bake for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees (F). Serve hot. You can also place a toothpick in each bacon-wrapped brussles sprout for easy serving.


SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

Ingredients:

1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated/shredded)
6 oz Neufchatel cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
14 oz. can of artichoke hearts
1 clove of garlic
2 cups fresh spinach leaves (chopped)
1 tsp black pepper (ground)

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl, and mix well. Then dump into a crockpot, and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Turn crockpot down to "warm", and serve with crackers, ciabatta bread, or veggies.


CARAMEL APPLE DIP

Ingredients: 

2-3 red apples
1 package cream cheese
1/3 cup powdered sugar
Carmel topping
Chocolate-covered toffee bites (Heath Bar Bits)

I stole this recipe from my super-mom of a neighbor, Amanda. She makes this for our neighborhood get-togethers, and the plate is always clean within the first half-hour of her placing it on the table. First, combine the powdered sugar and cream cheese, then spread onto the center of a serving platter. Cut red apples into slices, and place around the outside of the cream cheese mixture. Right before serving, pour caramel topping over the top of the cream cheese (not the apples), and top with chocolate-covered toffee bits. People use the apple slices to scoop up the dip in the middle, and then salivate while enjoying this delicious dish!