Greetings, friends! Welcome to our holiday edition of Outdoor Entertaining. Typically, by the time the holidays roll around, the island evenings have turned crisp enough that an outdoor gathering isn’t practical. That doesn’t mean we have to give up the relaxed, natural feeling we love all summer. The trick is to bring the outdoors inside – pine branches, evergreen, candles that flicker like a fire pit, and a table that feels more beach-house casual than formal holiday dinner. No problem. We can do that.
A recipe swap is the perfect occasion for this. Everyone brings a favorite appetizer or dessert plus printed recipe cards, we taste and trade stories, and no one spends the whole season stuck in the kitchen. Keep the guest list to eight or 10 so the quantities stay manageable. Might be a good idea to specify whether to bring an appetizer or a dessert. If you invite 10 people, six can bring apps and four can bring desserts – it all depends on what items you plan to make. You can limit your contributions to four or five items.
Encourage guests to bring dishes that travel well and look festive. Request that they bring enough of their dish for sampling, a few extras if they can, as well as a stack of recipe cards. Ask the guests if they would include their email addresses on the recipe cards, just in case there are any questions – maybe you’ll foster some good friendships. Be sure to keep one card from each guest, and later on, you could scan all the recipes into an email and send it out to the group as a little Merry Christmas!
Set the scene with some outdoor elements. A few pine or cedar branches down the center of the table (or in mason jars with cranberries) make a statement. Add some rosemary sprigs, a couple of small white pumpkins or gourds if you still have them, and plenty of candlelight. A soft playlist of carols or jazz, everyday linens, and wooden boards instead of fancy platters keep it feeling easy and island-like. If you have a fireplace, even better – let that be the gathering spot. When displaying the guests’ dishes, be sure to label them clearly and display the recipe cards nearby. Keep on hand some additional wood boards for displaying and some rosemary and cranberries to garnish guests’ dishes.
Now for your contributions. Mini Christmas tree cheese bites are one of the easiest and most charming things you can put out. Use the soft triangular cheese wedges that come in a round box. Break pretzel sticks in half and gently push one into the bottom of each wedge so it resembles a little tree trunk. Press the cheese tops into finely chopped fresh herbs – rosemary, parsley, or dill – and finish with a few dried cranberries or red pepper flakes for ornaments. They take about 10 minutes, need no cooking, and look cute on a wooden board with crackers. Let the cheese sit out a few minutes first so it doesn’t crack when you insert the pretzel.
A cranberry baked brie is another reliable favorite. Top a wheel of brie with a simple cranberry sauce (berries, a spoonful of sugar, orange zest, and a splash of juice), bake until the center softens, and finish with a drizzle of honey and a sprig of rosemary. Serve with sliced baguette or crackers.
Now for desserts worth swapping. Peppermint bark is practically made for a swap – simple, pretty, and people always ask for the recipe. Melt dark chocolate, spread it thin on parchment, let it set, then top with melted white chocolate (a drop of peppermint extract is nice) and crushed candy canes. Once firm, break into pieces. It looks beautiful on a board and holds up well. Chocolate crinkle cookies are another good choice. The powdered-sugar coating cracks in the oven so they look snowy, and they stack neatly for transport. A gingerbread cheesecake dip is an easy no-bake option if someone wants to skip the oven: cream cheese whipped with powdered sugar and a little molasses or pumpkin pie spice, served with gingersnaps. The goal is variety and the pleasure of trying someone else’s family favorite, not perfection.
I always include a hot chocolate bar to pull the whole evening together, and it gives people something warm to hold while they mingle. Keep a big pot or slow cooker of rich hot chocolate on low, and set out a small station of toppings so everyone can top their own mug. Think mini marshmallows, whipped cream, crushed candy canes, chocolate shavings, a few peppermint sticks, and maybe a bottle of peppermint schnapps or Irish cream for those who want a grown-up version. Mason jars or simple mugs and a few extra spoons, keep it looking festive without any fuss. It pairs perfectly with the desserts and gives the room that cozy, fire-lit feeling.
When people arrive, have them set out their dishes and cards, then do a quick round of introductions so everyone hears the story behind the recipe. After that it’s just grazing, chatting, and the candlelight.
By the end of the night, you’ll have new recipes, a few leftover bites, and that good feeling of doing a little something extra without anyone doing all the work. The pine, candlelight, and steaming mugs make the room feel cozy and a little bit like being outside – without the cold. Here’s to hosting a warm and friendly gathering with good company and the best kind of holiday leftovers – the ones that come with instructions. Happy swapping!
Tree-Shaped Cheese Bites
1 package Laughing Cow triangular soft cheese wedges (or similar soft cheese triangles)
Pretzel sticks
Fresh rosemary sprigs
Dried cranberries
Arrange each cheese triangle with a pretzel stick as the trunk. Lightly top with a small rosemary sprig and a couple of dried cranberries. Serve at room temperature.
Cranberry Baked Brie
1 (8-ounce) wheel of brie
½ cup whole-berry cranberry sauce (homemade or jarred, slightly loosened)
Round water crackers or baguette slices
Place the brie on a baking sheet. Spoon the cranberry sauce unevenly over the top. Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is soft and slightly melted. Serve warm with crackers.
Peppermint Bark
8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
½ cup crushed candy canes
Melt the dark chocolate and spread it thinly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill until set. Melt the white chocolate and spread it over the dark layer. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Chill until firm, then break into irregular pieces.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar for rolling
Mix cocoa, sugar, and oil. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the chocolate mixture. Chill the dough for at least two hours. Roll tablespoon-sized balls in powdered sugar and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until the tops crack. Cool on the sheet.
Gingerbread Dip
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
1-2 tablespoons molasses (optional, for deeper flavor)
Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, spices, and molasses if using. Mix until creamy. Serve chilled with gingersnap cookies, apple slices, or pretzels.
