Appetizers
Home grown tomatoes for home made salsa. This does not get any more flavorful or better.
Whoever doesn’t love guacamole, more for those who do! Here is a loaded, quick and easy recipe to perfectly pair with a crispy, toasted tortilla chip. Cheers to National Guacamole Day!
Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Pistachio Crostini is a wonderful crowd-pleaser, just in time for Fall. Keep the chill away with this great starter!
Enjoy particularly sophisticated and delicious crackers when Parmigiano cheese is added to the dough.
A beautiful pink hummus flavored with the gentle sweetness of freshly picked root vegetables.
Mix up a batch of these cocoa peanut butter energy bites and celebrate the fact that you now have a nutritious and delicious snack on hand.
Pesto parmesan bread sticks are a great way to inject bold Italian flavors into a meal. The fresh pesto and salty parmesan make for a great appetizer or a midday snack!
Topped with simply seasoned radicchio and spread with an avocado puree, these easy crostini make for a great appetizer or nutritious snack.
The asparagus season is short-lived, so take advantage of creating simple yet flavorful dishes with them while they last!
Carbonara Arancini do need some hands-on time, but offer a genuine taste of Italy. Hearty rice and delicious cheese top off a fantastic dish.
If you have leftover lobster, this is the perfect recipe to feature the seafood. Fried with juicy sweet corn and served with a lemon and tarragon aioli, it’s hard to resist eating all of these lobster fritters.
The Portland wine tasting spot, TeSóAria, is also know for their amazing vegetarian food. Make a batch of their renowned hummus, no matter where you are.
Bruschetta was born as a poor Neapolitan food of farmers, but today it is one of our favorite appetizers on a summer night.
Fresh Caprese skewers are a fun twist on the traditional Caprese salad. They’re the perfect starter for a summer barbeque, or outdoor gathering.
Grilled Zucchini Bruschetta is a wonderful summertime dish. Fresh vegetables and nice toasty bread combine to kick off a summer barbecue just right!
Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms are a dish that’s uniquely Italian. Stuffed with the traditional mozzarella and anchovies, battered and then fried to perfection.
Summer Tomato Ricotta Tart is a wonderful summer dish. Sweet tomatoes compliment the flaky, buttery crust and pop with flavorful juices.
Gnocco Fritto are fried dough balls traditionally served as an antipasto along with cheeses and cured meats. They’re simple, but a staple across Italy.
Peach, Prosciutto and Homemade Fresh Ricotta Crostini is quite the sweet treat. It’s an explosion of flavor that makes for the perfect appetizer.
Thinly sliced tomatoes are served with a refreshing granita, tangy balsamic, and creamy burrata with prosciutto on the side. A perfect summer salad.
Keep your kitchen cool and quickly grill up nectarines outside on the grill. Layer them with burrata cheese, basil, and prosciutto for an easy and delicious summer crostini served with Portuguese white or rosé wines.
Mushroom Trifolati is normally served as a side dish all over Italy. The addition of crisp, homemade chips turns this dish into the perfect first course.
The perfect partner to an antipasto plate, Baked Thyme and Lemon Ricotta elevates cheese to the next level. Smokey and creamy, while still zesty and fresh.
Spend a summer night on the patio grilling these mascarpone and goat cheese crostini with blistered tomatoes, balsamic glaze and a glass of Santa Rita Sauvignon Blanc.
Grilled Pancetta and Melon Pizza is a great summertime dish. The sweet-savory combination of melons and pancetta pairs well with the smokiness of the crust.
It’s time to find a lush spot of green under a tree and spread out that linen blanket. Sure, you’ve got some splendid bites in your picnic basket, but also consider one more to throw into the mix…
Make a smokey, backyard appetizer on the grill with spiced, grilled tortilla chips and a garlic hummus dip.
As an appetizer or light summer meal, these grilled chicken bruschetta are loaded with bright summer vegetables.
Toasted bread, balsamic reduction, smoked mozzarella, and caramelized cherry tomatoes make these caprese crostini a simple appetizer that tastes complex.
Seasonal artichokes, battered and perfectly fried makes for an inspring appetizer. Serve with lemon wedges or a tangy aioli.
These Chipotle Turkey Stuffed Habanero Peppers are a spicy little appetizer, guaranteed to get your pulse raising and your sweat beading! But don’t be alarmed, with a side of avocado cream to calm the spiciness, you are sure to enjoy these little morsels.
Try a simple, Jerusalem-style hummus that is perfect for a late-night snack or with fresh summer vegetables.
Eggplant and sourdough are perfect candidates for the grill and add great smokey flavor to a black rice salad full of eggplant, artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes with a beautiful tomato and basil stack.
Originating in Venice, this raw carpaccio is served with oranges and a vinaigrette to be the quickest antipasto you can make.
What could be better than food, drinks, and travel? Take a journey through northern Italy with delicious bites and sips.
These are crispy pockets of vegetarian goodness. Try wontons in a different way this time, southwestern style!
There are many interesting delicacies around the world that need an acquired taste, one being escargot. Whoever thought to turn a slimy, slithering gastropod into a popular European amuse-bouche had to be quite…imaginative. In appreciation of National Escargot Day, here is the 101 on how to dine on this delicacy.
These Greek hummus bites are a fun, flavorful appetizer that’ll really impress your guests. They take only 15 minutes to make and have a crazy array of flavors and textures, sure to please any palate.
Turn humble squid into a fancy appetizer, blending tender calamari with a savory, herbed bread crumb stuffing, with a splash of white wine.
Have a few ripe avocados on your hands? Make this. In minutes you could be snacking on this avocado dip loaded with lime juice and protein from the white beans.
Looking for something different? Take a taste of this sweet and spicy peach toast. Honey, ricotta and just a touch of jalapeño make for a perfectly flavorful bite.
Here’s how to make perfectly crispy popcorn shrimp that is the ultimate pair with a cold beer.
A creative take on classic guacamole filled with fresh mango, pomegranate and toasted pecans. It’s also gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.
Use your favorite pizza dough recipe to make perfectly chewy, soft pretzels dunked into a tangy beer cheese.
Sweet, spicy and fried! Jalapeño Cornbread fritters are a fun treat for parties or for the entire family to snack on.
Soft and steamed on the inside, but crispy, fried on the outside these Taiwanese-style potstickers are something amazing to be devoured.
Smoky cumin and garlic seasoned baked beet chips are accompanied by a lemon labneh dip for a refreshing snack that will cure your cravings without weighing you down.
So easy to make with just six natural ingredients, you’ll have these healthy stuffed mushrooms in no time.
Caught right off the coast, here’s how to make Key West’s favorite crispy grouper fritters.
Sweet, salty, and so deliciously complex tasting, this caramel corn is made with nutty sesame oil and nori flakes.
A bright balsamic strawberry jam and cilantro chutney bring delicious sweet and savory flavors to a vibrant spring cheese board.
The best thing in foodie life is to enjoy what nature has to offer…in its very own natural form, even raw. Try this version of Korean beef tartare.
Celebrate the abundance of spring produce with a beautiful cheese board featuring candied Meyer lemons and pickled ramps.
Rather than dried fruits or nuts, incorporate fresh or quick pickled fruit and vegetables to make a refreshing cheese board.
A dim sum favorite. Simple to make and better for you when baked to golden brown perfection. They’re crispy and shrimpy – just the way they should be!
It may not have the classic rustic feel, but this modern cheese board is surely stunning with spring flavors and a raspberry spread.
This creative twist on everyone’s favorite food, pizza, is incredibly fresh, new and exciting. Don’t wait to get your hands on these little guys, get cooking!
Crab rangoon dip is the appetizer is the perfect appetizer to make for a crowd with crispy wonton chips.
Rice paper rolls are very versatile and are great packed for lunch. These chicken and mango rice rolls are light, refreshing and easy to make.