15 Easy Appetizer Ideas
Double Cranberry Crostini
Top baguette slices with cream cheese, sliced deli meat, and cranberry chutney for a fall-inspired starter.
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Falling Leaves
Spice up wonton wrappers with curry, dill, basil, and juice from a can of beets to create these colorful crackers. Use cookie cutters to make leaf shapes, spritz them with vegetable-oil spray, and brush on one or two flavorings. Sprinkle the leaves with sea salt and bake on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees F for about 4 minutes. After they've cooled, let the kids rake them in.
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Food Editor Erica Clark demonstrates how you can make this fun fall snack with the kids using just a few simple ingredients.
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Berry-Good Apples
Kids tend to like fruit more than veggies. Cut up red and green apples (brush them with a little lemon juice to prevent browning) and serve with this yummy raspberry spread.
Blend 12 ounces reduced-fat whipped cream cheese with 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves until smooth. Serve with apple wedges.
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Kiddie Cheese Tray
Sure, put out some trays of Brie and Camembert for the adults. But don't forget about your younger guests: Make a separate cheese tray filled with string and cheddar cheeses, grapes, carrot sticks, and other munchies that kids love.
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Feta Olive Toast
This olive toast topped with feta looks fancy, but it'll take you only a couple of minutes to make!
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Amazing Onion Dip
Caramelizing the onions beforehand gives this dip its sweet flavor. Serve with sliced bell peppers, broccoli, and other veggies.
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Shrimp & Pepper Bruschetta
Topping bruschetta with shrimp gives this appetizer a fun twist! Toast the bruschetta in a grill pan, if you have one, to create clean grill marks.
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Polenta Pizzas
For a snack the kids will love, top slices of packaged polenta with tomato sauce and cheese.
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Cheese-Stuffed Celery
Fill stalks with a seasoned cream cheese mixture and top with walnuts. Leave a few celery stalks with plain cream cheese in case some kids are allergic to walnuts -- or just picky!
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Flavorful Feta
Dice your favorite brand of feta cheese into small cubes, and marinate the cubes in herbs and spices. Serve the feta solo or as part of a cheese tray.
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Healthy Hummus
Add this dip to your crudite platter, or, if you're short on time, simply serve it along with some pita wedges.
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Eggplant Caponata
Simmer this delicious veggie-olive topping in your slow cooker, then serve warm or chilled.
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Stuffed 'Shrooms
Fill mushroom caps with bread crumbs, chopped tomatoes, and cheese, then serve the caps upside down.
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Cucumber Bites
Top these light and refreshing veggies with a dollop of our special cheese mixture!
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Breaded Asparagus
These asparagus stalks may look deep-fried, but (surprise!) we baked them instead. Serve these veggies with dipping sauce and watch the kids dig in!
Originally published in the November 2010 issue of Parents magazine.