(Family Features) Along with the delicious food, gift-giving, and cheer of the holiday season, getting together with friends and family is also cherished. Whether it’s a cozy weekend dinner with friends or time for festive merrymaking, you can enhance any gathering with unique small plates and appetizers.
Make the season special with California grapes, which are abundant into January, as an ingredient in your favorite dishes or by decorating with them for colorful pops of red, green, and black. If time is of the essence, they also offer an easy, fresh, healthy snack or side dish that adds color and flavor to your table.
Find more tasty appetizers, meals, desserts, and more at grapesfromcalifornia.com.
Tricolor Grape Pizza with Goat Cheese and Thyme
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6
1 pound prepared pizza dough
flour
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups halved green, red, and black California grapes
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Position rack in the bottom of oven and place inverted baking sheet on top of the rack; heat oven to 500 F.
On a lightly floured surface, press pizza dough into a 10-inch round circle and cover with a towel while preparing toppings.
Sprinkle a large baking sheet lightly with flour. Stretch pizza dough into an oval, about 14-by-10 inches, and place on the sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with grapes, thyme, and walnuts. Place baking sheet on top of a sheet already in the oven and bake until crust is bubbling and golden, 8-10 minutes.
Remove pizza from the oven. Sprinkle with goat cheese and Parmesan. Season with pepper, to taste. Transfer pizza to board, cut into pieces and serve warm.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 350 calories; 10 g protein; 47 g carbohydrates; 14 g fat (36% calories from fat); 2.5 g saturated fat (6% calories from saturated fat); 5 mg cholesterol; 580 mg sodium; 1 g fiber.
Source: California Table Grape Commission
