3 easy holiday appetizers

In the midst of the holidays, special nibbles that are easy to pull together can make gatherings more enjoyable and stress-free.

Here are a few of my favourites that are delicious any time of year, but tend to make the rounds every Christmas at our house.

These tasty bites have been around for centuries in various forms.

MeatyMedjooldates (available in the produce section of most grocery stores) can be stuffed with anynumber of ingredients, but the combination of sharp cheese and salty prosciutto isdivine.

They can be assembled ahead of time, then slid into the oven to heatjust as your friends arrive.

• Medjooldates
• Parmesan, extra-old Gouda orAsiagocheese
• Thinly-sliced prosciutto

Pull the pits out of the dates, and cut the cheese into small sticks about the same sizeas the pits. Push a piece of cheese into each date, then cut each sliced of prosciuttoin half lengthwise and wrap one piece around each date.

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400F for 10 minutes, or until the prosciutto is crispy and has shrink-wrapped the date and the cheese is oozing out the end.

Serve warm. Makes as many as you want.

My friend Gwendolyn Richards, food writer at the Calgary Herald, enjoys this every year with her family on Christmas Eve with crusty bread and good wine.

She says it tastes like Christmas and it wouldnt be the same without it. Its one of the easiest, tastiest appetizers Ive tried. It looks pretty too. (Adapted from Gourmet magazine, via Gwendolyn Richards.)

In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil with the garlic, rosemary, thyme, pepper and coriander. Place the goat cheese in a shallow dish and pour the warm oil overtop.

Alternatively, combine the oil and herbs in a jar. Keep in the fridge until you're ready for it, then remove the lid, microwave the jar for one minute, until the oil is hot, then pour over the goat cheese.

Serve immediately with crusty bread or crackers. Serves eight.

This year she made these tasty cheddar shortbread balls with olives inside, andthey were a hit.

The dough is simple to mix together, and once wrapped around pittedolives, the cheesy, briny balls can stay in the fridge until its time to slide them into theoven for 20 minutes.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to350Fand bake for 20 minutes, or until palegolden on the bottom. Cool before serving.The olives inside can get hot!

Makes more than adozen olive balls.