Appetizers recipes

Herb-marinated snails dipped in a light egg-white batter and fried golden. A crispy French appetizer with tarragon, chervil, chives, and parsley.

Devil's Delight, a retro West Virginia spread of whipped cream cheese, deviled ham, and tomato soup with a hit of hot sauce. Make-ahead, spreadable, and made for chips and crackers.

Ranch oyster cracker snack mix tossed in warm oil with ranch dressing mix, dill weed, and garlic powder. An addictive, five-ingredient party snack ready in minutes.

Tomato herb bruschetta with fresh Roma tomatoes, basil, oregano, garlic, and balsamic vinegar on toasted crusty bread. A classic Italian appetizer ready in 10 minutes, no cooking required.

Mango and prosciutto bites: salty Italian cured ham wrapped around sweet ripe mango chunks, served with lime wedges. Three-ingredient party appetizer.

Toasted pita chips split, cut, and bake pita bread into crisp triangles for dips, soups, and lunchboxes. Two ingredients, eight-minute bake, much better than store-bought.

Cocktail wieners simmer in a sweet-tart orange sauce spiced with cloves and cinnamon. A retro party appetizer in 20 minutes flat.

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.

Homemade deviled ham spread with warm spices, hot mustard, anchovy paste, and a whisper of sherry. Skip the canned stuff and make a version that actually tastes like something.

Escargots de Montpellier served over garlic croutons with pancetta, walnuts, anchovy, parsley, and a splash of Armagnac. A rustic French snail appetizer.

Onion caviar with black-eyed peas, sweet Vidalia onions, green bell pepper, pimentos, and garlic in Italian dressing. A Southern marinated appetizer or side dish, best made overnight.

Mock caviar made with finely chopped ripe olives, anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, and sour cream. A budget-friendly no-cook appetizer with rich, briny flavor on lettuce cups.

Crispy Korean-style fried wontons stuffed with seasoned ground beef, bean sprouts, green pepper, and sesame oil. Golden, crunchy appetizers with a savory soy-sesame filling.

Bean curd skin rolls wrap shredded mushrooms, dried tofu, celery, and carrot in fresh tofu sheets, then shallow-fry until crisp and golden. Drizzled with a chili-ginger dipping sauce.

Oysters Bingo are lightly breaded fresh oysters sauteed golden in butter, then drizzled with a creamy pan sauce of white wine, oyster juice, lemon, and shallots.

Party spinach dip: the classic creamy retro dip with frozen spinach, sour cream, mayo, and onion soup mix. The recipe every potluck has on the table, served in a hollowed bread bowl.