According to author and recipe tester extraordinaire Amanda Hesser, this cheese ball was introduced in 2003, when the classic appetizer had moved out of the mainstream and into the world of the deliciously ironic. Cream cheese and goat cheese are whipped together with a whole slew of bright, thrilling flavors: lemon zest, cumin, coriander, fresh mint, and thinly sliced celery hearts. More
The best part about this recipe is the addition of clam. Largely sustainable and virtually fat-free, it's an interesting twist on what can occasionally be a fairly staid recipe. Buying a more upscale brand will only help the flavor of your dish, as some find bargain-basement clams to be a little tough and perhaps even a tad tasteless. More
This crostini, topped with pureed acorn squash, savory bits of bacon, and crispy sage, may seem fancy, but it's really easy and cheap. More
White Bean Bruschetta is classy without being fussy, and, thanks its bean-and-vegetable topping, pretty healthy for a passed appetizer. Plus, it doesn't make too much of a mess, which is always helpful. More
Far be it from me to argue with a curried pumpkin soup, or a pumpkin soup with pancetta, or a pumpkin soup with dancing croutons. I love those guys, I really do. What they aren't, though—what they'll never be—is the good old classic pumpkin soup that got us all hooked on pumpkin soup in the first place. Nope, they aren't The One. But this is. More
Enter Provencal Deviled Eggs from Cooking Light. Filled with bits of olive, caper, sun-dried tomato, Dijon, and various herbs, it's a fabulously briny, lighter twist on the classic appetizer. More
Not only are these breadsticks crisp, they're filled with seeds that add even more texture. And since these are dry crispy breadsticks, you can make them ahead of time and they'll last for a long time. More
Roasted Pepper Halves with Bread Crumb Topping, from Lidia Bastianich's Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, is simple to prepare, yet impressive enough to elevate the most pedestrian of meals, up to and including a cold slice of pepperoni pie. The peppers act as both flavoring agent and serving vessel, making it lighter than most breaded hors d'oeuvres. More
