There are simple snacks and there are complicated ones. You have probably made appetizer recipes before, or snacks for parties. If you’re totally new to cooking maybe you are worried about making your own, but there is really no need because they are so easy.
Sticking cocktail sticks into cubes of cheese counts as making a starter, as does opening a jar of olives and putting them into a dish. Of course these aren’t the most impressive dishes you could come up with!
There are appetizer recipes and snacks for every occasion, whether you are catering for a party, a buffet, a sporting event, a coffee morning or something else. Some take less than a minute to make and others are just as fiddly as an elaborate main course.
Appetizer Recipes: Simple Dishes
Simple appetizer recipes are always an attractive prospect to the home cook. They mean you can make quick and easy food which is tasty and nice-looking. If you have a hundred people to feel, the thought of making dishes which will go down well and not take hours to put together is probably a tempting one.
Don’t think you can’t make impressive two or three ingredient appetizer recipes because you absolutely can. Choose good quality ingredients and get the presentation right and your starters will be fine.
Hot bacon-wrapped scallops are a simple starter, Parma ham and cantaloupe melon is a simple one too, and there are lots more ideas for starters as well.
How to Serve Appetizer Recipes
The best way to serve your starters depends on the occasion and the snacks themselves. If you are serving canapés at a cocktail party, you can either have a table with the food on or you can wander round, offering these little morsels to your guests. Canapés tend to be bite-sized snacks made with bread, toast or crackers and some kind of topping. Your guests won’t need plates or cutlery to eat canapés.
If you are having a sit-down dinner party, you can either serve individual portions of food to people or you can have a platter of tapas or appetizers in the middle of the table for them to help themselves to the food.
Bread can be offered around, passed around or set in the center of the table so people can take what they want. This also depends on how big the table is and how many people are eating. If you have a table set for twelve, they won’t all be able to reach the middle of the table. Well technically they could but it isn’t good manners, is it?
What Else Do You Need?
Make sure everyone has the right plates, napkins, cutlery and anything else they need to enjoy the appetizer recipes. Being a good host is about looking after your guests and making sure they have a good time. The appetizers are the first food they will see or eat, so it is important to do your best to make them tasty and attractive.
When it comes to presentation, you can either stick to the appetizer recipes or use your creativity. Fresh herbs, a wedge of lemon, a sprinkling of black pepper or a strawberry might all be good garnishes. These will depend on the starter recipe in question. Don’t use too many fussy garnishes and try to keep things simple. If you are trying to impress people, it is easier to stick to classic, easy dishes. That’s better than try something too fiddly which you have never made before.