Appetizer recipe collection

Piperies Orektiko, a Greek roasted pepper salad with oven-blistered sweet peppers, onion, oregano, and olive oil vinaigrette. A simple mezze appetizer.

Pineapple-walnut dip: creamed cottage cheese and sour cream blended with crushed pineapple, toasted walnuts, and lemon. A versatile sweet-savory dip for fruit, cookies, or chicken.

Potato momos are Tibetan steamed dumplings stuffed with garam-masala spiced mashed potatoes, spinach, and cilantro. Vegetarian Himalayan comfort food, served with a fiery chili dipping sauce.

Homemade Cracker Jack-style caramel popcorn with peanuts, brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup. A crunchy, sweet snack that comes together in just 15 minutes.

Quick microwave ground beef casserole layered with egg noodles, cottage cheese, sour cream, and sharp cheddar over a tomato beef base. Comfort-food weeknight dinner in 25 minutes.

Raw mushroom dip with whipped cream cheese, fresh chopped mushrooms, onion, and parsley. A no-cook appetizer spread for crackers or open-faced sandwiches.

Crispy baked rice cups filled with creamy guacamole and salsa, a vegetarian Mexican appetizer with edible cheddar-cumin shells. Bite-size party food made in a mini muffin tin.

Ricotta-stuffed zucchini flowers filled with creamy ricotta, Asiago, chopped almonds, basil and parsley. Delicate squash blossoms baked until warm, elegant enough for company, easy enough for a summer Tuesday.

Roasted tomatillo salsa verde with charred jalapenos, eight cloves of garlic, and fresh cilantro pureed smooth. Bright, tangy, and ready in 30 minutes.

Roquefort mousse blends pungent French blue cheese with cream cheese and butter, then lightens it with whipped cream and beaten egg white into a chilled molded appetizer. Sharp, airy, and built for a wine and cracker board.

Salmon nachos topped with flaked canned salmon, fresh tomatoes, green chiles, yogurt, and melted cheddar. A quick seafood twist on classic nachos baked until bubbly.

Italian spinach sauce for pasta made by blending raw spinach, lettuce, capers, lemon juice, and olive oil into a vibrant green puree. Quick, fresh, and vegetarian.

Crispy homemade bagel chips brushed with garlic, Parmesan, olive oil and Italian herbs. Easy day-old bagel rescue for crunchy dippers in 20 minutes.

Saltimbocca alla Romana: pounded veal layered with prosciutto and fresh sage, seared in butter and finished with a dry white wine pan sauce. The classic Roman trattoria dish.

Sausage balls with sharp cheddar and Bisquick, shaped walnut-sized and baked in 15 minutes. The classic Southern party appetizer with just 4 ingredients.

Sautéed chicken livers with onions and mushrooms in garlicky butter, dredged in pancake flour for a crisp crust. An old-school appetizer or budget dinner over rice pilaf.