Home    |   Recipe Indexes   |   Dinner Party Menus   |   Food History   |   Diet - Health - Beauty

Baking Corner |  Regional Foods | Cooking Articles |  Hints & Tips | Culinary Dictionary | Newspaper Columns Search What's Cooking America

One of the largest collections of trusted party and holiday appetizer recipes on the internet. Because my collection of appetizers is so large, I have placed them into the categories listed below. This page includes my wonderful collection of Dip Recipes, Spread Recipes, Pate Recipes, and Terrines Recipes. The recipes are very easy to follow and will give you delicious results. Check the recipes out, prepare them for your family and friends, and ENJOY the compliments you will receive! 

Back to the main Appetizer Recipe Index.
 

Avocado-Olive Dip
This is absolutely wonderful! Your guests will go wild over it.

Blue Cheese and Spiced Walnut Terrine
A wonderful blue cheese terrine. Because of it's richness, I don't recommend serving at as a dinner course, but as an appetizer paired with some Zinfandel wine.

Country Pate with Prunes and Hazelnuts
Everyone should have a pate in their cooking repertoire. this mild version is inspired by a Julia Child recipe, but we replaced the liver with ground veal and the onions with shallots, then added the layers of prunes and hazelnuts. Serve with crackers or toasts made from skinny baguettes.

Cranberry Holiday Spread
This delicious holiday spread is very easy-to-make and is sure to delight your family and friends. Makes a great appetizer to sure before your large Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

Cranberry Salsa with Cream Cheese
This fantastic recipe was shared with me by Carol Reich of Hillsboro, Oregon. Carol won a Dip Contest on the Satellite Sisters Radio Show with this outstanding and also beautiful-to-look-at recipe.

Creamy Bagna Cauda
This sauce is served in a pot, for everyone to dip the vegetables into. Serve it with chunks of crusty bread and your favorite raw vegetables. It's fun for a party appetizer no matter where you live.

Dill Dip for Vegetables
This delicious Dill Dip has been a favorite of my family for years.

Domain Chandon Cheese Spread
This recipe originally came from the Domain Chandon Winery in Napa Valley.

Easy Street Crab Dip
This is fantastic looking and tastes wonderful. Your guest will rave about this one. This recipe can be made up to two days in advance.

Fromage Fort - Strong Cheese (French cheese spread)
Confused as to what to do with all those little leftover pieces of cheese? An easy solution is to blend them all together to make a unique cheese spread. You can clean out the cheese compartment of your refrigerator, and at the same time create something wonderful to eat. The little end pieces of Brie, Cheddar, farmer cheese, chevre, Roquefort, Mozzarella, and scores of other cheeses can be quickly transformed into a tasty mixture which the French call fromage fort (strong cheese).

Goat Cheese with Bell Pepper Dressing
This appetizer has wonderful flavor and great presentation. Everyone raves about this appetizer.

Goat Cheese Spread with Herbs and Olive Oil
Recipe and photo from Fine Cooking Magazine, by Martha Holmberg, No.78, May 2006.




 

Goat Cheese Torta
When this delicious Goat Cheese Torta is sliced, it reveals beautiful colorful distinct layers.

Gourmet Crab Dip
This is my version of the popular Crab Dip that can be found all over the internet. This crab dip can be served either cold or hot.

Green Bean Pate
This unusual pate will be a big hit at your next party. Everyone will ask for this recipe, so be prepared!

Guacamole Dip with Cilantro
In the cuisine of the Southwest, guacamole is used as a cocktail dip, or one of the toppings and/or fillings of enchiladas, tacos, tostadas, or burritos. It is also wonderful as a cold sauce for grilled meats or fish.



 

Guacamole Dip (lowfat) - Canyon Ranch
This wonderful recipe is from thecookbook Canyon Ranch Cooking: Bringing the Spa Home. The recipe is described in the book as: "We have served thisvasparagus guacamole at Canyon Ranch since the day we opened and it has always been extremely popular with our guests. Because it is so unusual it was an immediate favorite with the press whenever articles were written about our Southwestern cuisine. Serve itwith fat-free baked tortilla chips for your next fiesta."
 

Honey Walnut Spread
I adapted this great appetizer recipe, originally by Chef Roxanne O'Brien of the Walnut Marketing Board to share the wonderful flavors of honey and goat cheese.

Hot Crab Appetizer
This delicious, addictive crab dip will have your family begging for more.

Hot Garlic-Parmesan Souffle
This hot appetizer is not really a soufflé, but a delectable and delicate dip for bread.



 

Layered Nacho Dip - Beef Nachos
This very addictive nacho dip is so good! It disappears so quickly when I serve it to family and friends. Great to take to a party.

 

Lemon Artichoke Dip
This unusual and delicious Lemon Artichoke Dip, using the whole lemon (yes, skin, pith, juice, and pulp), will totally surprise you with its bright, tangy flavor. Until you try this fantastic and interesting dip, you won't believe how healthy and delicious it is.

Liverwurst Pate Spread
This is a quick and easy version to making time-consuming regular pate. If you like liver sausage, as I do, you will definitely love this spread. I've seen various version of this spread on the internet and have always wanted to make it. Even James Beard has his own favorite version. The following is my version that I hope you will enjoy as much as I do.



 

Mediterranean Layer Dip with Crispy Tortilla Bread
This delightful and versatile dip is a joy to serve! It has fresh colors, interesting flavor combinations, and can be used in many different ways.

 

Monday Night Football Nachos
This easy-to-make nacho dish is a family favorite. My family liked to eat this nacho dish while watching Monday night football.


 

Nine-Layer Mediterranean Spread
Each scoop on your pita chips comes up with a combination that was a bit different than the previous scoop.

Olive-Caper Tapenade
Another great Tapenade to serve your guests. This spread makes a delicious topping for bruschetta, crostini, and crackers.

Olive and Walnut Spread
This spread makes a delicious topping for bruschetta, crostini, pasta, rice, potatoes, crackers, and/or a dip for crudités.

Parmesan-Asiago Topping
This is very addicting! Serve it as a topping for bread (crostini), tossed with pasta, on a baked potato, spooned over fresh sliced tomatoes, topping for a pizza, or as an appetizer spread - the possibilities are endless.

Pat's Hot Clam Dip
This clam dip is a family favorite that we always serve during the holidays.

 

Pate Cheesecake
Try this quick and easy pate using liver sausage.
 

Perada (Pear Cheese or Pear Jelly)
Long considered a delicacy in Iberian and Latin cultures, Perada is nicely paired with cheeses such as Manchego. Perada is great served on a cheese platter.
 

Pimento Cheese Spread or Topping
I slightly adapted this recipe from the Whole Foods web site. This is a variation on the very popular Southern Pimento Cheese Spread. This Pimento Spread has a slight kick without being too much.

Pistachio Champagne Delight
This excellent dip recipe was shared with me by Mary Kay DeFalco.

 

Roasted Garlic Dipping Sauce with Fresh Ginger & Tamari
Enjoy it as a dipping sauce for seafood, pork, or chicken, or use it as a base for a glazing poultry, fish, or pork.

 

Roasted Jalapeno Dip
This is a very easy-to-make and very addicting dip. Don't be afraid of using so many jalapenos, as the roasting tames them down! This dip is especially good with cut-up fresh vegetables.

 

Shrimp Cheeseball or Spread
This is my mother's favorite recipe to bring to our Christmas Eve celebration every year. It is easy to make and a favorite of our family.

Smoked Salmon Tartare
This simple smoked salmon dish makes a great appetizer. It looks like a tartare, but by using the smoked salmon there are no raw ingredients to upset your finicky guests. Can be prepared several hours ahead.

Smoked Salmon Tartar with Wasabi Sabayon
This recipe is by Executive Chef, Andreas Sommerfeld, of the Holland American Cruise Line on the Oosterdam ship. The chef demonstrated this dish on our family's March 2007 Mexican Riviera Cruise.
 

Southwest Spicy Sauce/Dip
If made properly, this sauce recipe yields a slow heat sauce. At first you might not think it has any heat, but be prepared for at least a little spice to hit your palate slowly. This sauce makes a great dip with chips.

Spuma di Tonno - Tuna Mousse
This smooth tuna spread is incredibly simple yet has great depth of flavor. Everybody who tastes it asks for the recipe.