Relieve some holiday stress with these delicious potluck-ready treats.
By Jasmine Putney
Though December is characteristically full of festive cheer, the holiday season can bring ample amounts of pressure. Finding the right gift for that special someone and incessantly rearranging ornaments on the tree are traditions equally painstaking and delightful.
But perhaps the most strenuous of the annual celebrations are the endless Christmas parties. Usually using themes with desirably unattractive fashion, partygoers are immediately met with judging stares. The other guests glance at your ominous Walmart bag as you walk toward the food table. The world seems to slow down as you pull out your pitiful go-to potluck item — the vegetable tray. An audible gasp is heard throughout.
But today, I say no more. No more worrying about the inferiority of your dish at those holiday parties or mandatory family gatherings. Below, I have compiled a few recipes for goodies sure to impress people at your next potluck.
Chocolate lovers
Each year, I make these chocolate-covered cheesecake bites for my neighborhood Christmas party. I bring a large plate stacked with the bites — the recipe yields nearly 50 servings. And at the end of the night, I am left with an empty plate. These rich treats are time-intensive but are certainly worth their weight in compliments. If you’re looking for redemption after a vegetable-tray mishap, these will surely blow away anyone with taste buds.
Cookie monster
In our grandmother’s kitchen, packaged cookie dough is an unforgivable sin. But when time and money are in a crunch, the Little Dough Boy can be a lifesaver. This recipe for Christmas-tree sandwich cookies is sweet and transforms an old favorite. Most impressively, these delicacies remember the cardinal rule of food criticism: Presentation is everything. I dare anyone to not at least acknowledge the adorability of these cookie sandwiches. In fact, “I triple-dog dare ya.”
Sweet and salty
Peanut butter and jelly. Bacon and eggs. Spaghetti and meatballs. Many foods require a partner in crime to ensure their tastiness. This recipe for chocolate pretzel bites affirmed that this sweet and salty duo should be eternally bonded. The snack size pretzels make it easy for people to guiltlessly come back to the bowl time and time again. This recipe is especially meant for procrastinators; it only takes around 20 minutes in total to make.
