Simple Appetizers to Make

Cheese trays are simple to assemble.

Appetizers don't have to be fancy and take hours to prepare to taste good. Use everyday foods with special touches. Cover the plates with greenery and garnish with fruit slices, herbs or even edible flowers. You'll be relaxed and ready to enjoy your guests instead of being frazzled from spending the time in the kitchen.

Stuffed Vegetables

A tray of stuffed small vegetables, or vegetable slices, is attractive, good for you and simple to make. Use three different types of stuffing: perhaps a bread crumb and Parmesan cheese; cream cheese and herbs; and sour cream, dried onions and dill. Purchased dips are even simpler. Stuff whole small vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes; vegetables slices, such as a 3/4-inch slice of cucumber with nearly all the seeds removed so there's a depression in the middle; and leaves such as endive, the inside of snow peas and cooked artichoke petals and hearts.

Cheese, Deli Meat and Crackers

If you have a brick of cheese, a few slices of deli meats and crackers, you've got the makings of a platter of appetizers. Lay the deli meats in half slices in the middle of a tray. Surround with cheese slices. Then surround the cheese slices with overlapping crackers. Another alternative is to make mini open-faced sandwiches with the crackers. Salami's strong flavor goes with a mild cheese such as havarti. Ham and cheddar cheese are a classic combo. Swiss cheese and turkey also work well together.

Eggs

Hard-boil a dozen eggs and you've got the makings of 24 appetizers. To make it even easier, hard-boiled eggs are available in the deli section of most grocers. Cut the peeled eggs in half, remove the yolk and mash with an assortment of seasonings. Deviled eggs are simply yolk, mustard and mayo. Delete the mustard and add crumbled bacon for a different taste. Use smoked salmon and dill weed for the yolk filling, then top with a tiny shrimp.

Olive Bar

It's not even necessary to open a jar for this simple appetizer. Buy an assortment of gourmet olives at the grocers. Jalapeno-stuffed green olives, Greek olives in a feta marinade, garlic stuffed olives and blue cheese-stuffed olives are good choices. Add a few plates of crunchy raw vegetables such as celery and carrot sticks. Place slices of sourdough bread in baskets and your appetizers are finished.

References

• "Party Food"; Barbara Kafka; 1992