It’s that time of year when our community has its annual Christmas Boat Parade and I needed some gluten free appetizers for the rabble rousers to eat while drinking and yelling Merry Christmas to the revelers on all the boats. Sometimes the people on the boats toss candy to the kids standing on the pontoons and that brings shrieks of excitement as they try to catch the lollies without falling into the water.
There was a parade trial run at about 5:30 and I looked across the canal and there was this woman on a paddle board with TWO dachshunds wearing life jackets paddling by. Only in Queensland.
Then the boats started coming down the canal. In the daylight they looked like ordinary boats unless you looked closely to see the lights strung everywhere.
Then we started eating. I’d skewered some watermelon, feta and basil and drizzled a little caramelized balsamic vinegar on them and the plate. John and I loved this. So simple, yet delicious.
When you’re drinking you also need something with a bit of protein, so I made some little spinach, mushroom and onion frittatas and as I had some feta, I popped some of that in too. It was important that everyone could eat everything. I hate it when I have to say, “No, you can’t eat that.” I do it but every time I swear I’m never going to do it again.
These looked a lot better plated up ready to serve but I forgot to take the photo. It was a busy day.
It was finally dark and the boats began passing by in front of us. This is a sailboat and Santa sends the flame up a wire to the top of the candle. It’s a very clever display.
This was a really cute reindeer and he turned his head back and forth. The kids next door really liked this one.
There were about 45 boats in the parade and my favorite was a big sailboat that had Blinky Bill the koala at the top of the mast (well secured) who waved to everyone. His hat kept falling over his nose but he was still cute.
Then because it’s nearly Christmas when fresh cherries are in all the shops, I made this nifty recipe I found on Pinterest.
After pitting the cherries, you add a little salt and chopped basil and let them sit together and make friends for a couple of hours. Then just before serving, take the rind off a wedge of brie and sit it on top of the cherries and bake until the cheese melts over the cherries. I served them over gluten free toast that I made from some gf sandwich rolls. Again, I took the before but not the after photo. Next year I’ll do better! That green is the basil. I looked at that photo for the longest while and thought, “were those cherries bad?” I’m also an idiot sometimes.
Finally, I baked some small potatoes and when they were cool enough to touch, I cut them in half and scooped out all but 1/4 inch of each potato then cut them in half again. I brushed them with oil on both sides and put them back into a hot oven to crisp. When that was done I added the cheese and baked til melty and then sprinkled bacon when they were done. Next time I’d put the bacon with the cheese.
I served them with sour cream and the green bits of spring onions, shallots or scallions – depending upon where you are in the world. Everyone said how American my potato skins were – and they were powerful memory food for me.
The weather tonight was perfect – only a light breeze and it was warm. After the parade was over the serious food began with prawns, ham, turkey, potato salad and then dessert. Nobody went to bed hungry!
Do you have local Christmas traditions that you look forward to?
Lovely appetizers! I like everything there, baked brie, baked potatoes and all those additional things 🙂 ela
There wasn’t anything that got left behind!
Wow – love ALL your appetizers Maureen – the spinach, mushroom, onion fritattas oh yum!
Everyone enjoyed them!
This sounds like so much fun! One of my best friends is gluten-free, so I will definitely be making some of these! I think my favorite one is the cherries with the brie. YUM.
That was really good. The finely chopped basil marinating the cherries for a few hours was really good.
What fun! A nighttime boat parade and great food! This sounds like a wonderful holiday tradition. In our neighborhood we have some families who go ALL OUT with decorations, and it is great fun to go and see their homes! Merry Christmas to you!
It was a lot of fun and heaps of people decorate the backs of their houses because there’s so much boat traffic on the canal. From the front you have no clue it’s Christmas. 🙂
Great assortment of appetizers! And it must be so much fun to watch the boat parade. After we sold our house in Tampa a few years ago, we rented in a 55+ community in Ocala for a year before deciding to move to St.Louis. We were always curious about those 55+ communities and wanted to see what they were actually like – quite enjoyable, we found out. This is one of those places where loads of people own golf carts even if they don’t golf – there are so many places they can drive them to. One of the highlights of our year there was shortly before Christmas they had the annual golf cart parade. People decked their golf carts out in Christmas lights and drove through all the various neighborhoods of the community (it was a huge place, so they actually had a schedule and did it over several days). Tons of fun! As was this post – thanks.
Isn’t that a fun idea. I love the decorated golf carts! I really like being around children so I’d miss that in a 55+ I think.
This looks like such a fun event. It’s so strange to see such good weather so close to Christmas. I love your selection of canapes, really tasty ideas, thank you. GG
I’ve been here nearly 20 years and I still don’t *feel* Christmas. 🙂
Tasty ideas!
Thanks!
Nice appetizer. I would make these for sure.
Hi Norma, so nice of you to visit. Have a wonderful Christmas.
The parade sounds and looks wonderful. I’ve never seen one, thanks for sharing the pictures.
Gluten free options are always a good thing.
Come to visit next year! 🙂
One of each please, ma’am… actually, no, make it two. And do you deliver!?
Beautiful light in those first couple of photos, Maureen, I like your part of the world xo
We are blessed to live here, Liz. We have everything close by and it still feels like small town. We can go to Mooloolaba and sit on the esplanade for coffee and feel like we’re on holiday but it’s only 5 minutes from home.
Maureen, you are a godsend. I was looking for some GF food for Christmas canapés and here they are, and delicious they are too!
Wishing you and yours a very Happy Christmas. Thanks for all the smiles and recipes throughout the year. Hoping 2014 is a wonderful one for you.
Hester x
Hester, I hope you like them. I didn’t look for gluten free as a make-do. I wanted normal things that didn’t have gluten. Very well received. 🙂
What a lovely tradition and how exciting for the children (not to mention the adults!) I bet Rob loved it. And that woman on the paddle board with her two dachshunds – how gorgeous and I do fear that is the sort of thing I would do. I love your appetisers and you made so many! I think I would have eaten so many potato skins I wouldn’t have been able to fit in the main course! I love to see communities coming together like this xx
Because we’re on a canal, it’s not a through street so there’s a cul-de-sac just outside and everyone is really friendly. We’ve got new neighbours nearby with children and we haven’t had that since we moved here. It’s such a joy to hear the kids splashing in the water and laughing and dogs barking at them to get out of the water.
I don’t have any gf restrictions but I’d eat all of your lovely apps. What a treat while watching the sailboats go by.
That’s exactly what I wanted it to be.. ordinary food that everyone could eat without having to label this food as okay and that food as not okay.
Can I hire you for my next party? Loved each appetizer. Loved the potatoes best though.
What a cool boat parade. Loved the Christmas lights after dark best. Santa won’t miss Australia fer sure!
What a lovely tradition. I love how much effort some people went to. I’m saving those potatoes for later Maureen they look fantastic!
WOW love the way the food is showcased.
After all, visual appeal is just as important as taste – especially when it comes to appetizers.
Thanks for the healthy holiday appetizers!
Regards,
Rosana Santos Calambichis, CEO
BIG Chef Online
What a nice place and it’s so festive. I love those appetizers and my favorite would be the potato wedges topped with bacon. 🙂
What a great place to live! How thoughtful you are to think of all your guests. They all looked fabulous and stress free! Have a great Christmas!
I love the sound of this boat parade…so much fun! Hard to pick and choose from the appetizers. They all look amazing. I could kill for the cherry and brie!
Love those small potatoes, Yum!
Dear Maureen, It looks like such a nice day, very festive. The snacks looks real good. I would love snacking on everything!!
Blessings dear and hope you are feeling good. Catherine xo
My favourite Christmas tradition is opening up gifts on December 24th! Somehow I managed to convince my parents that opening them up then was normal 😛 And apparently it is in some cultures like hubby’s Finnish culture so we always do it then. BTW the food looks delicious, you did a great job catering!
The boat parade looks like so much fun and what tasty appetizers!
How much fun it must have been to watch the boat parade – something I’ve never heard of before but such a QLD thing to do. These GF appetisers are great – I’m currently trying to appease a family member who will only eat organic/ activated/ unrefined ingredients. I’m going to do the watermelon & feta sticks for Christmas Eve it will make my life a little bit easier!
G’day and what fun Maureen, true!
I get that “American thing” when it comes to potato skins and making them, enjoying them and seeing your post today made me smile, thank you!
I love preserving traditions as they create the best memories!
Cheers! Joanne
I’m giggling at the daschunds. Definitely a Queensland sight! I wish you could have snapped a photo, but in the absence of that, these appetizers are great to have tucked away should I need some GF options 🙂
I would love to eat all your appetizers… and enjoy this boat parade. What a fun event with all the boats decorated. I have never seen anything like this… thanks for sharing this. 🙂
You live in such a beautiful part of Australia Maureen! How lucky to be able to sit on your veranda and just enjoy the Christmas boat parade while eating delish food.
What a beautiful evening with satisfying appetizers it must have been ~ your potato skins are just perfect. We are planning on appetizers for our traditional Christmas gathering with friends this year, it just feels easier yet still delicious. The baking and chocolate making will be done today, I always buddy up with a friend to make it more fun. 🙂
The boat parade looks like it was such fun! What a great tradition, and a delicious roundup of GF appetizers for the holidays. Thanks for sharing, Maureen.
What a great list of gluten-free appetizers, Maureen! Both the small potatoes and the watermelon skewers made me wish to have them near enough to be reached. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!!!!
Wow! a boat parade! 🙂 And the food looks delish!
This is a wonderful tradition. I would love this weather for the holidays! These appetizers look tasty! Especially the savorey watermelon appetizer.
I think I could grow to love a Southern hemisphere Christmas! And I know I’d love attending this festive boat parade…especially if you provided the appetizers!!!
What a nice community event Maureen! Your nibbles look delicious, and it’s very thoughtful of you to consider us InTolerant’s as well. Wish I was there 🙂
lovely
What a fun night! We also have a boat parade every year here in Sarasota Florida. Love the appetizers Maureen. Happy Holidays.
It IS fun, isn’t it? It’s a great opportunity to have a party and the kids love it. The hours of work people put in to their boats is amazing.
I love the sound of the cherries and brie and I am going to give this one a go. All your appetisers look lovely and I love the fact they are gluten free, I don’t need to eat gluten free but I have friends that do and being a vegetarian I know how difficult it can be sometimes to cater for a different diet. I love that you have showed with a little imagination dietary requirements don’t need to be a problem. Merry Christmas and I hope 2014 is a good one 😀
Those potatoes look divine! I can almost smell them.
How lucky you are to live on the water and see a display like that. I bet the kids absolutely loved it.
These appetizers look delicious! The frittata muffins are very creative, and those skewers with mozzarella, basil, and watermelon sound so fresh. (I’ll be trying that combo this summer!) I was the cherry app on Pinterest and wondered how it would turn out. You can never go wrong with any form of potato making an appetizer appearance! It sounds like a fun night. I am out in California with the family for Christmas, and there is a street known as “Candy Cane Lane” where people REALLY get into lights and Christmas decorations. We’ve been taking a drive down it every year since I’ve been 8 years old!
Just got back from vacation and now I want to head down your way! Hopefully you have some of these appetizers leftover. 🙂 I bet there were a lot of MMMMMMs from your family and guests. I love ALL of these and wouldn’t know which ones to start with. Wish we had cherries right now, but it’s the wrong time of the year. However, we have plenty of potatoes!
We’ve got a guest room!
Hello,
Your pictures are lovely and the recipes look great. I clicked on appetizers and saw gluten free. I clicked on that and there were beautiful pictures of yummy food but no recipes.
Can you direct me to the recipes?
Thanks,
Karen