It’s finally Christmas break! I’m so happy to be home, to be able to spend time with my family and to craft some new recipes. Check back often because I’ve got a lot of good ones to share!

Today, I’m sharing an appetizer that I made for the first time last Thanksgiving and has been a hit at every family gathering since! It’s very simple to make, yet the flavors meld so uniquely and give each bite a complex, sweet and salty flavor. They would be perfect as an appetizer at a Christmas or New Year’s gathering – I promise you won’t disappoint yourself, or your guests if you make them!

Pear Bites with Pancetta, Goat Cheese and Honey
Makes 12, but easily multiplied
Recipe from Eat.Drink.Smile.

Ingredients:
12 thin slices pancetta (about 1/3 lb)
1 large Bartlett pear
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
Freshly cracked pepper
Honey

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Carefully peel the pancetta slices apart and arrange on the baking sheet (keep in circular shapes). Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden. Lay a paper towel over a cooling rack and transfer the pancetta to it. Let sit for 10 minutes to cool and get crispy.

2. Core pear with a corer (just so the core comes out not an apple slicer! If you don’t have one, you can find them pretty cheap at a kitchen gadget store like Bed, Bath and Beyond). Cut pear crosswise into 12 thin rings (see photo for thickness). Arrange slices on serving platter then place one slice of crisped pancetta on each pear slice. Top each slice with goat cheese and drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with pepper. Serve right away (they don’t keep well for a second day so you better eat them all!)