5 Easy Appetizers for Thanksgiving

This is the time of November that I like to get my plan together for Thanksgiving. I’ve been hosting this holiday for the last 21 years (that makes me feel so old!) and the day usually flows in the same way. The day starts with sleeping in a little bit, then getting up and watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade with some coffee. I typically do as much cooking as I can earlier in the week so that Thanksgiving day can be as stress-free as possible. The turkey goes into the oven around 12:00 or 1:00 and everyone comes over around 3:00, with dinner being around 5:00 or 5:30.

Since we have a couple of hours to visit before dinner, I like to have some light appetizers. My mother-in-law is usually in charge of the appetizers, so it’s usually not something I have to worry about. But I thought I’d share some of my easy appetizers with you. As I said these are all easy to make and are perfect for serving if you’re hosting, but would also work well to take with you if someone else is hosting dinner. They’re all also fairly light so your guests aren’t full before dinner’s served.

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

These tasty morsels are definitely a family favorite, they generally disappear in about a minute. They’re really easy to make and taste great hot or room temperature.

Smoky Roasted Chickpeas

These a perfect light snack. What’s really great about these is that you can roast them a couple of days in advance and then all you have to do is set them out for everyone to enjoy.

Parmesan Green Bean “Fries”

These are a nice light and healthy appetizer. They’re also super quick and easy to make and taste amazing.

Shrimp Martini Appetizer

Cooked shrimp make this appetizer a snap to prepare. It’s really fresh tasting and won’t be too filling before your big dinner.

French Onion Cheese Toasts

You can make the caramelized onions well ahead of time in the slow cooker, which makes these yummy toasts quick and easy to make. All you need to do is assemble and put them under the broiler.