‘Tis the season when my favorite Apps aren’t found in the iStore.  Instead, they’re found at just about any seasonal celebration where my friends, family and food come together.  I’m sure mine is not the only calendar marked with multiple gatherings between now and 2012, so I thought I’d share a couple of my favorite go-to appetizer recipes for ringing in any holiday get-together that calls for a delicious dish to pass.  Cheers!

Merry Molly’s Tomato-Basil-Goat Cheese Dip
Roma Tomatoes, diced and seeded
Fresh Basil, torn into small pieces
Red Wine Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 log herbed goat cheese (garlic and chive is my favorite), softened.
1 loaf crusty French bread or baguette, sliced, or toasted bread rounds

Part One – The Prep:
Mix the first four ingredients and refrigerate overnight or for at least a couple of hours.  I’m not good with exact measurements here.  I love the red/green combo and tend to cut my Roma’s a little larger than a typical dice.  I just eye the vinegar and EVO amounts to bathe the basil and toms, but not so much that they float in it.  When I’m bringing this to someone else’s home, I usually keep this combo together separately and build the app on site.  It’s a lot less messy that way and the cheese holds up better.  It’s much prettier fresh, too!

Part Two – Party Time!
Put the cheese in a shallow but ample microwavable dish and mic it for just a few seconds or until it’s soft enough to dip easily.  Pour the prepped tomato-basil mix over the goat cheese and place this dish in the center of a platter. Surround the center dish with the sliced French bread, baguette or toasted bread rounds.  Dig in and enjoy!  Miss Molly Kelly brought this to my house for a party once and I have shared it many times since.  Always a big party hit, just like Miss Molly.

Christmas Cranberry-Walnut Brie
1 round or wedge of Brie
Dried cranberries
Chopped fresh thyme
Chopped walnuts, toasted

Okay, this one is super easy and never fails.  Here’s all you do:  Take the outer rind off of the top of the Brie.  Place it on an oven safe baking dish cut side up.  This is where my Kouchy Brie Baker that my daughter Keri gave me for Christmas one year comes in very handy. It’s a pretty little dish that bakes Brie perfectly and is pretty to serve it on, too.  Corningware works great, too.   Top your Brie with a handful of dried cranberries and walnuts and sprinkle with thyme.  Bake it at 350-degrees for 20 minutes or until the cheese is soft and warm.  Serve immediately with crackers of your choice.  A little sweet, a little tart, a little nutty, and a lot festive – bring on the holiday fun!