Photograph by Virginia Willis
The last two months of the year are usually a blur of neighborhood cookie exchanges, company potlucks, family feasts, and cocktail parties. It’s challenging to keep up a healthy eating plan when you are out of your normal routine, and everywhere you look, there’s a tasty temptation. Then, just as the clock strikes midnight, we are meant to instantly pivot with noble New Year’s resolutions and goals to lose weight, drink less, exercise more, or—the all-purpose catchphrase—“get healthy.”
My philosophy is that deprivation doesn’t work. We must enjoy what we eat, especially at a party. If you eat what’s “good and good for you” most of the time, you’re on the right path. Welcome the new year with this trio of comfort-food–inspired hors d’oeuvres that are big on flavor and easy to prepare.
And don’t forget the libations! For a different kind of bubbly, mix up a nonalcoholic pomegranate spritz: In a large glass pitcher, combine 16 ounces (2 cups) of pomegranate juice and 8 ounces (1 cup) of freshly squeezed lime juice. When ready to serve, add 2 cups ginger beer and 2 cups club soda or seltzer water. Pour juice mixture over a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and pomegranate arils.
Resolutions will be easy to keep when they taste like this. Bon appétit, y’all!
Photograph by Virginia Willis
Za’atar White Bean Dip
Makes about 4 cups
Za’atar (pronounced zah-tar) is a combination of dried herbs—including oregano, thyme, and marjoram—nutty sesame seeds, and tangy sumac, a red and tangy spice made from pulverized dried sumac berries. Used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, it can be found at numerous Middle Eastern markets in Atlanta as well as in more conventional grocery stores.
When you’re entertaining, it’s important for the menu to include easy preparations. No one has fun if you’re exhausted by party time. In this easy, make-ahead creamy dip, the aromatic spice blend does the heavy lifting, guaranteed to make this canned bean recipe your go-to dip long after ringing in the new year.
- 2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini, white kidney, or navy beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cloves garlic
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons za’atar, plus more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2–3 fresh oregano sprigs, for garnish
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils, for garnish (about 2 sections)
- Pita chips, for serving
- Crudités (raw vegetables), for serving
Place the drained beans in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-blade attachment. Add the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and za’atar. Season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth.
With the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until the mixture is creamy. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a serving plate or shallow bowl. Garnish with oregano and pomegranate arils; serve with the pita chips and crudités.
Photograph by Virginia Willis
Apple Butter Roast Pork Tenderloin Crostini
Makes 30
Glazed with spiced apple butter, roasted with fragrant herbs, and served with crisp, tart apples and sharp, grainy mustard, this pork tenderloin is a well-balanced sweet and savory combination as well as a colorful showstopper on the buffet.
You can skip making your own crostini from a baguette and purchase them ready-made if you want to lighten the party prep. The crostini can be individually made ahead of time the day of, or you can keep it casual and allow guests to assemble their own.
- 1 baguette, sliced diagonally
- ¼-inch thick
- Olive oil spray
- 1 clove garlic, halved, for the crostini
- 1 pound pork tenderloin
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon pure olive oil
- 1/2 cup apple butter
- 3 bay leaves, preferably fresh
- 2 sprigs fresh sage for cooking, plus 30 small leaves, for garnish
- 2 apples, such as Honeycrisp or Gala, thinly sliced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Coarse-grain Dijon mustard, for serving
Position an oven rack 4 inches below the broiler element and preheat the broiler. To make the crostini, arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and spritz one side with the olive oil spray. Broil until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the toasts and broil the other side until brown, about 2 minutes, depending on the strength of your broiler. Remove the toasts from the oven, and while they’re still warm, rub one side of each toast with the cut surfaces of the garlic clove. Transfer baguette slices to a rack to cool.
Place the rack in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 400°F. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels. Season the pork on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is very hot and shimmering. Add the pork tenderloin and sear on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes.
Brush the top of the pork with the apple butter. Add the bay leaves and sage sprigs to the pan. Transfer to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the tenderloin registers 145°F, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the pork tenderloin to a cutting board to rest before carving, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the apple slices in a bowl. Add lemon juice and toss to coat. (This will prevent the apple slices from turning brown.)
Slice the pork ¼-inch thick. Reassemble it on the board or transfer it to the platter so that it looks intact. Insert an apple slice in between each pork slice. Garnish the platter with additional bay leaves.
To serve, top each garlic crostini piece with a pork slice, an apple slice, and a small dollop of mustard. Garnish with a small sage leaf.
Photograph by Virginia Willis
Broccoli Cheese Bites
Makes about 2 dozen
These smoky, spicy, savory bites are like a mini version of a grown-up broccoli casserole, an adult “broccoli tot.”
The recipe calls for fresh broccoli but frozen works, too. Simply steam the frozen broccoli and then squeeze it with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove some of the moisture before adding it to the food processor.
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 4 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, grated (1¾ cups)
- 1 large egg
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
- Store-bought buttermilk or yogurt ranch dressing, for serving
- Sprig flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (optional)
Place the broccoli and water in a microwave-proof bowl. Cover with a tight-fitting lid or plastic wrap. Cook on high heat until the broccoli is very tender, but not mushy, about 5 minutes, depending on the strength of your microwave. Drain well and pat dry.
Meanwhile, place the panko breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Season with half of the salt and pepper.
Place the steamed, drained broccoli in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-blade attachment. Add the cheese, egg, garlic, and cayenne. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Pulse until smooth.
Heat an air fryer or oven to 350°F. If using an air fryer, line the basket with an air fryer paper liner. If using the oven, line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick silicone baking sheet or parchment paper.
Using a ½-ounce scoop or tablespoon, scoop the broccoli mixture one at a time into the seasoned panko breadcrumbs. Roll the ball in the mixture to coat.
Place the panko-coated broccoli bites in the air fryer basket or on the prepared baking sheet. Spritz the bites with nonstick spray. Cook until dark golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately with buttermilk or yogurt ranch dressing for dipping. Garnish with flat-leaf parsley, if desired.
This article appears in our December 2025 issue.
