Appetizers recipes

Microwave broccoli spears topped with a creamy lemon-ginger butter sauce made from scratch. A fast vegetable side dish with bright citrus flavor.

Light and fluffy, and excellent Sunday brunch or weekend breakfast.

Mollettes are Mexican open-faced toasts stacked with warm refried beans, melty cheddar or Monterey Jack, and a spoonful of salsa on toasted french rolls. A party-ready appetizer that disappears fast.

Beef satay skewers with a homemade curried peanut dipping sauce. Sirloin cubes broiled on bamboo skewers and served with a rich, spicy peanut butter sauce.

Three mini cream puff fillings: smoked salmon mousse, curried caramelized onions, and a crab-cream cheese spread with red peppers. Ready to pipe into pate a choux for elegant hors d'oeuvres.

Thai galloping horses (Ma Hor) made vegetarian with shiitake mushrooms, peanuts, garlic, and cilantro root on fresh pineapple chunks. A sweet-savory-spicy Thai appetizer.

Mousseline of scallops and salmon, a silky two-tone seafood mousse with a truffled scallop outer layer and a salmon center, steamed in ramekins and served on sauteed spinach with a beurre blanc. An elegant French starter.

Sun-dried tomato pesto: oil-packed sundried tomatoes blended with parmigiano-reggiano, toasted walnuts, garlic, and warm olive oil. A deeper, more savory alternative to basil pesto.

Fruit pizza with a sugar cookie crust, vanilla cream cheese sauce, fresh fruit topping, and a shiny orange juice glaze. A colorful party dessert that slices like pizza.

White clam sauce made in the microwave with olive oil, garlic, canned clams, parsley, and oregano. A 15-minute pantry-friendly pasta sauce for spaghetti.

Bean fajitas: black beans, zucchini, bell pepper, and onion tossed with chili and cumin, rolled in warm tortillas with salsa, yogurt, and Monterey Jack. A vegetarian weeknight win.

Microwave cauliflower au gratin with a quick cheddar cheese sauce made from scratch. Ready in under 20 minutes using just a microwave, no oven needed.

Lentil and yogurt soup with orange lentils, bacon, mushrooms, and ground coriander, finished with a swirl of low-fat yogurt. Hearty, warming, and lighter than it tastes.

Broiled grapefruit halves with butter, brown sugar, mixed spice and glace cherry garnish. Classic Australian retro breakfast or starter ready in 10 minutes.

Cajun crab in a rich Swiss cheese and cream sauce with mushrooms, scallions, and dry vermouth, spiked with cayenne. Serve in patty shells or scooped up with crusty French bread.

Microwave chicken livers with mushrooms in chicken giblet gravy, cooked in bacon fat with onion. A quick, savory offal dish ready in about 15 minutes using just the microwave.