2 friends across town

what i'm cooking this week:

dawn

i know split pea soup isn't everyone's favorite especially in my household, but it's certainly mine. i love it.  i more than love it.  i lurve it.

What I'm cooking this week:

Tracy

Pre-Turkey Noshes: The Easiest Holiday Apps

I feel a little silly calling these "recipes" because they're so not. I've been thinking a little lately about the all-important little side-table snacks and other appetizers for Thanksgiving this year. Here's what I've come up with so far.

1. Small wheel of brie or camembert, softened slightly in the microwave or the oven, with a little melted pear, apricot or raspberry jam drizzled over the top. The pear one is great spread on ginger snaps or Anna's ginger thins , and the raspberry is great on water crackers or Ritz. You can also spike them with a little chopped jalapeno or dried chili flakes. These little jewels look great on the table, and they can be thrown together in three minutes or less. And your Uncle Clyde will need to eat something with all those cocktails he likes to throw back before dinner.

2. Little bowls of unshelled nuts, with nutcrackers and big bowls for the shells. Reminds me of my grandma's house at the holidays.

3. Chex mix. The real deal---the kind you mix up and bake yourself. So much better than the newfangled bagged stuff, and you can jazz it up by adding a little extra Worcestershire, a dash of Tobasco or customizing further with jumbo cashews or pecans.

4. Little brown bags of popcorn for the kids, a' la Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. I recently received a gift box of popcorn flavor shakers like nacho cheese and white cheddar, which would be perfect for this. It should keep them busy munching without filling them up too much for the main event. They can also decorate their bags with markers.

5. Hickory Farms smoked sausage and an accompanying cheese ball, served with grainy mustard and Wheat Thins or Triscuits. I know, I know---not exactly a "light" snack before the biggest meal of the year. But my husband's family insists on this particular treat at the holidays, and I know better than to buck tradition.

Hey Dawn-- What's your favorite, easy appetizer for holiday get-togethers?

i'm with you on the melted brie, tracy.  this weekend, i found those thin pretzel crackers and served them with sliced brie.  delish.  i also love the preserves and hot pepper jellies over a block of cream cheese.  if you're watching carbs, the fiber selects crackers are really good and a little better for you.  okay, i'm getting hungry now......