Party prep

Great go-to appetizers and small bites make for easy holiday celebrations.

The holidays are upon us, and there is a good chance they will not resemble our usual giant gatherings, multiple parties, and social festivities. I dare say that in the South, we will find one way or another to bring in our closest and feed them something delicious.

Gatherings under 20 are truly my favorite way to make party food; you can splurge a bit more on good ingredients, pay a little more attention to detail, and the continuous replenishing of platters.

These little appetizers are easy to make with unique flavors and hearty enough to satisfy a dinner appetite. Home is where the heart is, and this year, probably where the party is as well, which is as it should be anyway. Happy Holidays y’all!

GINGERSNAPS WITH PUMPKIN JAM

These are great for the holidays, so use whatever cookie cutter you like.

• ¼ cup dark brown sugar

• 1⁄3 cup molasses

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• 2¼ cups flour, divided

• 1 cup pumpkin jam such as New Canaan Farms Grated orange peel (optional)