Appetizer recipe collection

Hot, cheesy chicken dip loaded with sauteed peppers, celery, and jalapeno, bound creamy with cream cheese, sour cream, and cheddar. A quick, crowd-pleasing party dip for chips and crackers.

Italian rice and endive soup with fresh tomatoes, carrots, and basil. A light vegetarian meal ready in 45 minutes, simmered in vegetable stock with curly endive for a pleasantly bitter depth.

Candied spiced walnuts or pecans coated in orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, and powdered sugar, then baked until dry and crunchy. A festive holiday snack or handmade gift.

Zucchini boats loaded with sauteed mushrooms, onion, garlic, and thyme in herbed breadcrumbs, topped with Parmesan and baked until golden. A vegetarian appetizer or side.

Spicy chicken tortilla soup where crushed tortilla chips simmer right into the broth, thickening it and lending a toasty corn flavor. Chipotle and cayenne bring the heat, lime and cilantro the bright finish.

Loaded avocado dip with bacon, sour cream, cucumber, and a kick of hot sauce. A no-cook party dip that's like guacamole's smokier, tangier cousin.

Microwave tamale pie with seasoned ground beef and sausage, stewed tomatoes, corn, black olives, and a cornmeal topping baked under melted cheddar cheese.

Marinated mushroom salad with vinegar-poached mushrooms, blanched carrots, celery, and bell peppers dressed in oregano olive oil. A make-ahead antipasto-style cold salad.

Salsa is such a great sauce that can go well with lots of things, it can be served with chips as a dip, or it can be put in the casserole as a sauce. And it is so quick and easy to make, chop a few fresh vegetables, throw them all together, here your freshly homemade salsa.

Antipasto pasta salad with salami, provolone, garbanzo beans, olives, and mushrooms in a lemon-garlic-basil dressing. A make-ahead party dish that gets better as it chills.

Lightly flour-dusted artichoke hearts cooked in butter in the microwave until lightly browned, then finished with vinaigrette. A quick appetizer or vegetable side ready in 30 minutes.

Artichoke squares baked with chopped artichoke hearts, shredded cheddar, eggs, and oregano. Onion and garlic sauté in the artichoke marinade for extra depth. Great party appetizer.

Asparagus and crabmeat salad layers crisp-tender spears over butter lettuce, crowned with sweet lump crab folded into a tomato-Dijon mayonnaise. Elegant cold appetizer or light lunch that comes together in minutes with make-ahead dressing.

Cold asparagus salad with a Chinese-style vinaigrette of rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Marinate overnight for deeper flavor, top with butter-toasted sunflower seeds.

Try something quick and new for breakfast with this scrumptious dish that's tasty down to the last bite.

Baked sweet pepper wedges stuffed with tomatoes, pine nuts, garlic, and parsley, finished with breadcrumbs and olive oil. A vegan Mediterranean appetizer or side dish that bakes in an hour.