Appetizer & Starter Recipes

Mini grilled cheese appetizers are great, especially if you're throwing a party. Make mini grilled cheese appetizers with help from a chef and culinary instructor in this free video clip.

If you don't have margarine or any kid of spread and want to make a grilled cheese sandwich, consider using stick butter. Learn how to make a grilled cheese sandwich with stick butter with help from a…

Six-month-old Max curiously eyed the cooked chicken leg on his plate. After some minutes of poking and picking, he clumsily raised the meat and gummed off a piece. His face contorted as he rolled it…

Rolled up meat and cheese finger food is a simple and delicious way to feed a bunch of people at once. Learn to make rolled up meat and cheese finger foods with help from a chef and culinary…

Shrimp is a staple of party entertaining. Usually seen in the form of shrimp cocktails, shrimp is versatile enough to be used in other ways as well. Shrimp can be sauteed, broiled, boiled or used as…

The Dan-Ball “Powder Game” is a physics simulation game that uses dots that represent elements and objects to create natural phenomenon. Balls in the game are used to show the effects of…

Puff pastry consists of many layers of very thin pastry piled on top of each other. When baked, the pieces create a flaky crust appropriate for breakfast foods, desserts, appetizers and even entrees.…

A common misconception about the term "antipasto" is that it is the dish that precedes a pasta dish. Although it is indeed sometimes served right before a pasta dish, it is in reality the…

When planning the food aspect of this special day, one strategy is to begin with small bites and finger foods. Finger foods can be quickly and easily consumed with little mess or chance for spills.…

Fondue is a social food, an opportunity to gather family or friends around the communal pot and spend a convivial hour or two. A traditional cheese fondue can be treated as a light meal when…

Appetizer platters are typically an essential part to entertaining, whether it's a family get-together during the holidays, a formal party or a huge birthday blowout. Presenting the appetizer platters…

Make your appetizer platters as attractive as they are tasty. Attractively displayed food is more appealing than food that is just heaped into the center of a plate. A well-thought-out arrangement…

Rachael Ray helps you keep up with the Kardashian’s kitchen as she dishes on the soups, salads and appetizers she made for Kim’s bridal shower. Rachael walks through her spicy chicken skewers drizzled…

Antipasto is a traditional first course in Italian cuisine, such as an appetizer or salad. Oftentimes, antipasto contains salted or cured meats--such as salami or ham, fish--such as tuna or salmon,…

Cold finger food is great for entertaining when you want to tide everyone over until a bigger meal. Learn about the Halloween cold finger food recipe with help from an author and accomplished magazine…

A lot of finger foods are great for the Thanksgiving time of year. Learn about Thanksgiving finger foods with help from an author and accomplished magazine editor in this free video clip.

Rich, creamy cheese fondue is the perfect appetizer for an elegant meal or for an intimate family gathering on a cold evening. Cheese fondue is a versatile dish because it can be made from a variety…

Puff pastry is a remarkable product. Light and crisp, it is flaky pastry that can rise to several times its original thickness when baked. This dramatic degree of lift is created by folding butter and…

If your loved one is a martial arts fan, you should be prepared with some ideas for good appetizers for a karate party, so you can create a birthday or anniversary celebration that will be remembered…

Homemade spring rolls are deceptively simple and deliciously rewarding. But once you've depleted the filling, you're bound to have a stack of leftover wrappers. Make chips with the unused wrappers for…

The shape of a spring roll, despite the roll part of the name, is not set in stone. A triangle spring roll has the same ingredients and taste as a regular spring roll while having a bit of fun with…

Every type of fruit has a particular taste and while some fruits taste sweet, other fruits taste sour. This depends on the compounds contained within each fruit. Compounds of fructose, acid, vitamins,…

Sweet and sour sauce and flavoring are popular aspects of Chinese food. In fact, this is one of the rare examples of a kind of oriental food that is popular in both American "Chinese food" and the…

Popular restaurant "Brazo's" in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, offers a protein-rich menu, which makes it harder to select a strictly vegetarian (green) option. There are several different selections to…

Food is the most critical element of a game day celebration, save for the game itself. Since guests will punctuate the festivities with cheering, shouting and, possibly, wild gesticulations, it is…

Pate de foie gras is a French delicacy, a type of meat paste made from the livers of geese or ducks. The name "foie gras" literally means "fat liver", and several regions of France, in particular…

Putting out a spread for a Halloween party is the perfect opportunity to be crazy and creative. Finger foods take on a whole new meaning when they're served bloody. Letting your guests stare at a…

Antipasto salad is an Italian appetizer made with chunks of meat and vegetables drizzled with olive oil and vinegar. It's often presented on a platter, giving party or dinner guests a chance to…

In December in the monster game world of "Moshi Monsters," monsters celebrate Twistmas -- the monster version of Christmas. During the Twelve Days of Twistmas, you can pick up many Twistmas items for…

Alcohol can be made from potato skins, molasses and yeast, using fermentation. This process does not require a still. It is not as potent as distilled alcohol, nor does it taste as good, but it is…

Cook potatoes in the slow cooker, barbecue grill or oven to avoid the hard skin that occurs as part of the baking process. Your potatoes will be soft all the way through. Cooking potatoes with the…

Making a puff pastry from scratch can take half a day, so it's inconvenient for busy home cooks. The Pillsbury Puff Pastry allows you to easily bake quiches, fruit turnovers, and crusts for tarts and…

Italian antipasto includes platters of chilled and room temperature finger foods conventionally served before Italian dinners. The appetizer selections in antipasto, which means "before the meal" in…

Lobster is a succulent dish you can order at many fine restaurants. However, you do not need to go out and pay expensive prices to enjoy the sweet and buttery taste of lobster meat. Cook lobster at…

Pupu platters originated in Hawaii and achieved great popularity during the 1950s and '60s at Polynesian and Asian restaurants. The word pupu literally translates to snail in Hawaiian, but the dish…

Wonton is a versatile food similar to dumplings and dim sum. The triangular dumpling can be filled with non-traditional wonton ingredients to make creative dishes. The Chinese specialty can be used in…

Sweet potatoes are highly nutritious vegetables enjoyed year round in many households. They contain high amounts of vitamins A and C, along with beta-carotene and no fat or cholesterol. Another…

Potatoes store best at temperatures near 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower temperatures damage the potatoes while higher temperatures encourage rot and sprouting. The potatoes retain their quality for…

Increase the flair of your party fare; using simple household items, you can liven up your deviled eggs with any number of colorful and flavorful additions. Your creativity is the only limit. Start…

Lobsters not only offer sweet succulent meat, but they are low in calories as well. A 3.5 oz. serving contains just 98 calories and 2 g of fat. No matter what recipe you are attempting, if you…

They may look like hamburger patties and provide a similar taste profile with rich, meaty flavors, but Portobello mushroom caps do not need a bun to enhance a dish. Portobellos are mature cremini with…

Deviled eggs are a staple at most potlucks. They are cheap, easy to make, and, unlike many foods at a potluck, they usually go quickly. Deviled eggs have a tendency to slip and slide if you just place…

Who doesn't enjoy a sweet succulent lobster? Fighting with the shell can be a hassle to reach the meat. It doesn't matter if your lobster is boiled or steamed, once you find the meat it is a little…

Raw eggs can be frozen and thawed successfully, but cooked eggs present some difficulties. When it comes to freezing deviled eggs, the "deviled" portion of the egg can be frozen quite easily. However,…

Pate is a thick spread often made from duck or chicken livers and molded into a loaf shape. Some vegetarian pates are made from vegetables, grains or seeds. Pate is served as an appetizer with…

Fried chicken wings are appetizers that may be plain, breaded or tossed in sauce. Chicken wings are the wing portion of a chicken. However, the term chicken wings can also mean a combination of fried…

If you want to impress your friends and family with your gourmet skills, a salmon terrine will do the trick. This French delicacy combines mashed salmon fillet with heavy cream, eggs, lemon juice and…

Picnics are not only about cold fried chicken or ham and cheese sandwiches. If you have access to a grill, hot dogs are another option. This ballpark staple is not just a wiener nestled in a bun. With…

An antipasto bar serves small plates of Italian food. The dishes are laid out in a long bar, and patrons can pick and choose what dishes they want to eat. An antipasto bar is similar to a tapas bar,…

Frozen meatballs are a pre-cooked meal in a bag. Heat them up, add a few ingredients and you have an easy meal for a busy family. Frozen meatballs can be prepared in any number of different dishes and…