3 Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers with Wilson's Grocery + Meats

No matter the meal, yes even Thanksgiving, y’all know my favorite part is appetizers! Some may say that appetizers are unnecessary on Thanksgiving- they make you too full, there’s already too much food, and they’re too much work on top of all the other cooking. Well I say… those people are no fun (sorry)! I wanted to pull together 3 super easy appetizer options for Thanksgiving that you can serve alone or all together without any fuss, and I promise they will flow perfectly with your Thanksgiving menu! I love the idea of serving these all together for a mini Thanksgiving appetizer board as well. They compliment each other well and each have different savory, tangy, + fragrant flavors.

Even better, I’m featuring a favorite local business today in these recipes, Wilson’s Grocery + Meats. They were so kind to provide me with the delicious sausage and meatballs for these recipes as well as some other delicious goodies! I’m obsessed with little corner groceries, farm markets, and the like, so Wilson’s is literally my dream come true- tucked away in the adorable Kenwick neighborhood near Henry Clay/downtown Lexington. My mom and I actually used to do the Kenwick bungalow tours in this neighborhood every year and that is one of the reasons I really fell in love with old homes. Wilson’s specializes in high-quality meats and their manager created a special house-made butternut squash sausage for these recipes that was truly amazing! I also got my hands on some of their chorizo that was equally delicious. They also have some pre-made items like chicken salad, pimento beer cheese, meatballs (also used in one of the recipes below), and more. Oh AND they serve delicious lunch sandwiches too throughout the week- this place really couldn’t get more perfect!

Visit Wilson’s anytime and mention my name or blog for 15% OFF your purchase!

Thanks again to Wilson’s for being so generous to collaborate with me on this post and I hope you all will give them a visit and enjoy their charming space and pick up something delicious while you’re there. You can find all three appetizer recipes + instructions below and well as a little more info about Wilson’s!

xoxo

Emily

Wilson’s has been a Lexington institution, known for its high-quality meats, for over two decades. The current owners, Corey + Hannah Maple, live directly across the street. Due to his reputation for revitalizing other properties in the neighborhood, Corey was approached by the original owner of Wilson’s to purchase the store when the owner's health began to decline. The "new" Wilson's, which has been renovated but intentionally kept relatively vintage and old school to establish a nostalgic corner store experience, opened in October 2018. They still focus on high-quality meats (they hail from a family farm in Iowa), and Phil, their manager, has created a wide variety of house-made sausages, both loose and linked, that they’ve become known for. Aside from meat, they also sell a curated variety of groceries and convenience items, uniquely catering to a higher end market that enjoys high quality food items, and also customer base that desires lower price points.

“That's super important to us -- that everyone, no matter their background or income level, feels welcome and supported by our store. We're so proud to be a neighborhood, community-centric establishment, that feels passionate about selling really good food and inspiring our customers to create community of their own around the groceries they bring home.” -owners, Corey + Hannah Maple

Visit Wilson’s anytime and mention my name or blog for 15% OFF your purchase!

1010 Cramer Avenue|
Lexington KY 40502
(859) 266-4531

1 lb. ground sausage of your choice (I used Wilson’s Grocery butternut squash sausage)

6 oz. cream cheese

8 oz. blue cheese crumbles

1 1/2 cups Bisquick

2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine all your ingredients in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer (I like to use a stand mixer with paddle attachement- makes it so easy!).

3. Mix ingredients until well combined.

4. Roll mixture with hands into golf-ball sized balls and place on a foil lined baking sheet.

5. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown + crispy!

Pre-cooked or frozen meatballs of your choice (I used Wilson’s Grocery premade meatballs)- recipe is flexible to as many as you like!

2 tablespoons apricot jam (I used Trader Joe’s)

2/3 cup cranberry sauce (I used Trader Joe’s)

2 tablespoons cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup ketchup or chili sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1. Reheat or cook meatballs according to package instructions.

2. While the meatballs are cooking, add the remaining ingredients to a stovepot on simmer, whisking in one ingredient at a time, until well combined.

3. Increase heat to medium for a few minutes, continuing to whisk, then reduce heat back to simmer.

4. After meatballs are done, remove and place in or on serving dish. Drizzle with your desired amount of glaze or use as a dipping sauce.

5-6 oz. Apricot jam or preserves (I used Trader Joe’s apricot jam)

Ciabatta or French bread loaf, sliced + toasted (either pan toasted or in oven)

Goat cheese (5-6 oz)

Prosciutto (4 oz)

Fresh thyme

1. Spread each slice of bread with a thick layer of goat cheese

2. Top goat cheese with a small dollop of apricot jam

3. Layer a small piece of prosciutto on top

4. Finish with a small sprig of fresh thyme (optional)

extra note: here’s my favorite method for toasting bread for any kind of ciabatta- Slice a loaf on french bread into bite size pieces. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup vegetable oil to a cast iron skillet on medium to high heat. Add french bread slices, lightly toasting on each side until golden brown. Place on a paper towel to cool.