Like this post? Check out my post on 10 Gifts for the Foodies in your Life.
How many Christmas/Holiday/New Year’s parties or gatherings do you have on the calendar so far? We’ve got at least six, and I’m sure more will be scheduled! I LOVE LOVE this time of year and am so thankful we get to CELEBRATE the birth of our Savior! I am quite convinced there will be delicious food in Heaven- why else would God have invented such delicacies as chocolate, basil, bacon, cheese and coffee? (Not all together, of course!)
And the best part? If there IS food in Heaven, everyone with allergies/food intolerances will get to eat EVERYTHING! Remember the no more sickness part?? Hurray!! (My thoughts on this are in no way conclusive, I’m just hoping a little bit! Okay, a LOT!)
Anyway, if you’ve got lots of parties lined up, you might be wondering what you should cook for them. I’ve got 12 days lined up for you of all kinds of Christmas goodies. Some will be new to the blog, some will be brought of the archives, some may be from other blogs, but one thing is for sure, I have cooked/baked/fried the recipe and can attest to its deliciousness.
So are you ready?
I’m going to start with one of our very favorites, Pao de Queijo, or Cheesy Brazilian Bread. If you’ve ever been to a Churruscaria such as Fogo de Chao, this is the bread they serve before the (much-less-important-in-my-opinion) pounds and pounds of meat. These can be served either as an appetizer (my absolute FAVORITE course of a meal) or as well, bread, at dinner.
And guess what? For my gluten-free friends, this is your bread! It’s made with tapioca flour and I’ve served it to GF friends several times and they just love it.
Mmm I cannot tell you how much it delights me to share this recipe with you! (My recipe is a modified one based on this one.)
1 egg
4 tbs. butter, melted
1/4 cup olive oil
2/3 cup milk
1.5 cups tapioca flour
2/3 cup grated cheese
(I’ve used mozzarella, freshly-grated parm, a combo of the two, queso fresco, cheddar, and more. They’re all good!)
1 tsp. salt
handful of fresh basil leaves, optional
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put everything in a blender, starting with wet ingredients. Trust me on this!
Blend until smooth. Pour into mini-muffin pans. Bake at 400 degrees about 15 minutes, until tops begin to brown.
The last step is to REFRAIN FROM EATING EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM BEFORE YOU SERVE THEM! Seriously. They are addicting.
Notes: Don’t let the tapioca flour intimidate you. You can find it at any Asian grocery store (where it’s super cheap) or Whole Foods (where it’s not super cheap). If you don’t have one of those nearby, you can get it here on Amazon.
—The basil makes them over-the-top amazing in my opinion, but other people in my life prefer the plain. I’ve also tried using fresh rosemary which is also yummy.
Like this recipe? Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for the rest of 12 Days of Christmas Party Food.
(this post contains affiliate links. This means if you buy anything on Amazon thru the links, I’ll make about 50 cents! Hurray for 50 cents adding up!)
About Kelli Hays
This looks delish Kelli! Yum!