
It’s that time of year again. The holidays.
Ugh.
And no matter what, you can’t avoid the dreaded question, “Can you bring an appetizer?”
For many neurodiverse individuals—and even some neurotypicals, this phrase slaps the panic button in our brains and sends us into an immediate depression.
I know your initial reaction to that question is “No, I can’t. I don’t want to cook and that’s why I’m not having the party.” But make sure you keep that reaction to yourself. Just smile and say “Of course!” with confidence.
I’ll explain why.
Ironically, I enjoy cooking despite the fact I’m not the best at it. I’m going to help you like it too. Well, maybe not like it, but at least not loathe it and have a meltdown when asked to bring an appetizer.
Let’s face it, cooking requires lots of patience and skills I don’t have—like the ability to remember to set timers, or measure accurately, reading instructions correctly and use step by step methods. It’s no wonder why fifty percent of the meals I make don’t come out right. There’s just too many opportunities to mess up while I’m cooking. But I still try anyway. The thrill I get when something I make turns out right is worth the failure of the stuff that I ruin.
Over the years I’ve figured out simple no brainer appetizers I can make that people love. Thanks to my trusty app, Pinterest I’ve complied some of my go-to apps that will wow the crowd and mask my disability. No one will ever know that I leave hard boiled eggs on the stove so long that the water evaporates and the eggs burn. 👀
So my first suggestion for alleviating the stress of the appetizer is to immediately volunteer for the charcuterie board. Those are so simple. And you can cut everything the night before and arrange it the day of the party. If you are unsure what cheeses and meats to choose just Google or even ask the lady at the counter. I’ve basically taken over charcuterie duty for Thanksgiving for life so I’ve made friends with the Mariano’s cheese lady.
Hate cutting? Don’t worry. If chopping veggies, meat or cheese isn’t you’re thing you will love the goat cheese log. I found a recipe with a goat cheese log covered in fig jelly and pistachios that is amazing. No cooking or cutting involved whatsoever. And everyone loves fancy cheese and crackers. It’s a win win!
However, if you don’t mind a little culinary work I have a couple apps that you might be interested in. Bacon wrapped dates and elote dip. These are a bit more challenging and you HAVE to time the dates. The elote dip involves some cutting and cooking the corn. But you don’t HAVE to roast the corn. It’s suggested to roast it for added flavor.
The final app I make I think is neurodiverse friendly is my apple and Brie roll ups. The only cutting involved is the apple. You must set a timer for this one though. So if you’re easily distracted and timers aren’t your thing then stick to the No bake goat cheese roll.
I hope this helped a little. I will include the links to these apps below! Happy Holidays!
https://pin.it/7F8WJDb Brie and Apple
https://pin.it/2aj6uTF Elote Dip
https://pin.it/3Eb5Hk5 Goat Cheese Log
https://pin.it/49V21y2 Bacon Wrapped Dates
Stay Squirrely,
Dana
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