The holidays are here and its time for a little entertaining magic. You know the kind I mean.

It's when folks stop by unannounced or on short notice, and you need a quick appetizer ready for a group. Or it's when you just want to have something ready for guests without wasting a whole day in the kitchen. Well, I've got some great ideas for you. Yes, they do involve a bit of cheating.

Yes, they are designed to take the mystery out of pulling a party together. And, of course, anybody can make these appetizers and have a fairly good chance of relaxing at the party themselves.

No one should have to feel intimidated by fancy sounding names or European recipes.

You know what I mean. "

Bruschetta" by any other name is just toasted Italian bread with some kind of topping—an open faced sandwich, really. You can make bruschetta with almost any leftover cheeses and ingredients that might taste good together.

Pate is really just another word for a meat-based spread or a meatloaf used as an appetizer. Depending on the amount of time you have, the kinds of things your family and friends like you can make a pate pretty simply using the food processor. Or you can gather a very few ingredients and whip a soft pate together without more than three minute's work.

Similarly, using convenience doughs during the holidays is one easy way to make interesting hot appetizers with a variety of fillings. You can make these up ahead of time, cover and refrigerate them, and then just pop them in the oven to bake when the company arrives on your doorstep.

So, try on of these for your next party—relax and enjoy the holidays!

Jack Daniel's Pate

1 tube Braunschweiger or liverwurst
8 oz. cream cheese
2 Tbs. Jack Daniel's Whiskey
¼ cup toasted pecan pieces

Combine cream cheese, liverwurst and whiskey. Cover the mixture and let it mellow in the refrigerator overnight to mix the flavors. You can then either spread or pipe the mixture onto cocktail sized rye bread and sprinkle the top with the nuts, or place it in a service dish and top with toasted pecans. Serve with crackers or small pieces of rye bread. 

Assorted Bruschetta

1 Baguette
¼ cup olive or flavored olive oil
Assorted Toppings, as available, like:
Pepperoni and Mozzarella
Ham and Sharp Cheddar
Roasted Peppers and Swiss
Roasted Garlic, Mushrooms and Romano
Tomatoes and Mozzarella with Basil

Slice the Baguette on the diagonal, about ¼-1/2 inch thick. Brush with oil, and toast in a 400^oF oven until golden. Top with varied toppings, bake for 5 to 10 minutes until the toppings are heated through. The rule here is to make things easy on yourself. You can toast the bread ahead of time, and just use whatever toppings you have on hand. Think of these as open faced sandwiches and you'll get all kinds of ideas!

Herb Cream Cheese Puffs

½ cup Herbed cream cheese or Boursin
1 Package Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Open the roll package and lay out the dough flat. Cut each big triangle into three smaller triangles. Pipe one teaspoon of cheese into the center of each triangle. Fold them up, pressing the edges together. Bake for 10 minutes at 400^oF until golden brown.

Roasted Red Pepper Artichoke Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1 small jar of roasted red peppers or pimentos, drained
1 can of artichoke hearts (14 oz.), drained
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Place all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until everything is well blended. Cover and allow the flavors to blend in the refrigerator for a few hours, if you have time. You can serve this dip cold or put it in a glass serving bowl and microwave for 3 minutes, stirring as needed to keep it blended. Serve with bagel chips, crackers or French bread toasts.