If you are serving an entrée that is not too heavy, start your simple celebration with this delicious, fresh-tasting shrimp salad. Serve with our one-ingredient parmesan crisps and enjoy!
Category: Starters
White Bean and Basil Dip
Seven simple ingredients go into the food processor and this appetizer is done! A perfect make-ahead dip for your simple celebration. We served it with pita bread and rainbow carrots, but you could use whatever you have on hand – crackers, fresh veggies, breadsticks, etc.
Crab and Cream Cheese Wonton Appetizer – Bet You Can’t Eat Just One!
These tasty bites will be a wonderful addition to your Simple Celebration table. You can experiment with different fillings using the same method.
Snowman Cheese Ball – So Fun and Tasty!
We had so much fun playing around with different ways to decorate our “snowman.” We ended up going the tropical route and served him on a plate with brown sugar “sand,” a tropical drink umbrella, a beach ball, and a sand dollar. How will you theme your snowman?
Baked Ricotta Appetizer
Something different to add to your simple celebration appetizer collection. Warm, creamy cheese spread on top of a slice of baguette – delicious!
Shrimp, Avocado and Sun-Dried Tomato Crostini
Not only does this appetizer make a beautiful presentation, many steps may be made in advance of your simple celebration. You can either serve this as an appetizer or put 3 on each plate and make it a first course.
Simple Cold Shrimp Appetizer
If you need an appetizer that requires no cooking, comes together in less than five minutes and is easy to transport, this shrimp dip is for you! Made with fresh shrimp
Chorizo, Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive “Flatbread”
This “flatbread” is made from puff pastry, not the traditional pizza crust. The pastry adds a flaky goodness to this quick appetizer.
Mini Tomato and Feta Frittata Starters – A Delicious Beginning to Any Simple Celebration
Putting this colorful dish together takes less than 10 minutes. It has simple ingredients, but has great taste and color!
Tomato, Basil and Ricotta Appetizer .. or Make it a Meal!
It’s easy to make this recipe into a meal, just add cooked shrimp or chicken before baking. This makes a great lunch reheated the next day!
Simple, Easy, Tasty Two-Step Mexican Dip
Here’s a crowd pleasing dip that will have you two-stepping right out of the kitchen!
Fresh Tomato Salsa (Pico de Gallo)
This is a basic salsa recipe. You can add other ingredients you have on hand to change it up. We used avocado, chipotle, and fresh corn to create a salsa “bar.” Additions to the Salsa 1. Avocado – cut up one avocado into chunks 2. Chipotle – dice one chipotle chili in adobe sauce 3. […]
Smoked Salmon with Dill and Cucumber Dip
We love smoked salmon and wanted to develop a dip that was on the “lighter” side. In order to do this, we used creme fraîche instead of typical cream cheese. The cucumber adds a fresh crunch to the other delicious flavors. This dip turned out great. We hope you enjoy it as much as we […]
Plum Crostini Appetizer
Vicki’s daughter, Jennifer, was in California on business and had this appetizer while dining out. She loved it so much, she got the recipe and wanted to share it with The Simple Celebration followers:
Yummy TWO Ingredient NO Cook Appetizer
This dip will be the first gone at the party! The recipe can’t be any easier – only 2 ingredients!!
Herbed Chicken Skewers – A Simple Entrée or Appetizer
Assemble in this dish in advance, then pour marinade over the skewers 20 minutes before grilling.
Chutney, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella Bruschetta
This appetizer is delicious, simple, and full of flavor – just the way we like it! The sweet and savory flavor of chutney combined with the salty and crispy prosciutto and creamy mozzarella on top of crunchy bread tastes fantastic.
Spicy Herbed Cashews – Bet You Can’t Eat Just One!!
Put these cashews out for guests and watch them disappear. The crunch of roasted cashews mixed with the delicious flavors of fresh herbs and salt and an added kick of cayenne pepper – wow, it’s a party in your mouth!
A Very Unique Appetizer – Prosciutto Wrapped Figs Baked Atop Halloumi
What is halloumi? It is a cheese that is mild, yet delicious and can withstand the heat of a hot oven without melting. In this unique appetizer recipe, the cheese acts as the base for the figs and prosciutto. After baking, the prosciutto is crispy, the figs soft, and the cheese delectable. This very simple, […]
Spicy Cheese Crisps – Another Awesome “Make-Ahead and Freeze” Appetizer
This is another great recipe to make in advance of your party – even weeks ahead. It is a great compliment to wine and is one that people have a hard time “eating just one.” This recipe is easy to double and will keep fresh in a Ziplock bag for several days after the party. […]
Sweet Chili and Shrimp Cakes – An Awesome Appetizer!
These cakes are absolutely delicious and are a real crowd-pleaser. The best part is you can make them several days ahead, thaw them before your guests arrive, and reheat for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.
Fig, Prosciutto & Arugula Appetizer
We made this fig appetizer at a recent wine tasting party and it was a hit. Everyone gobbled them up so quickly, we had nothing to nibble on while we cleaned up!
An Antipasto Feast!
For our 200th blog party we decided on a simple, fun, no-cook menu. We headed to our fantastic local Italian market, Mazzaro’s, and bought a wonderful assortment of meats, cheeses, and other goodies. Our first stop was to the cheese counter where we met Charlie. We sampled many great Italian cheeses and settled on three – […]
Fresh Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls
These were a lot of fun to make (as you can see from the video link below). The rice paper rolls look like a plastic disc when you open the package. Once you thoroughly soak them, either by wiping them with a wet towel or dipping them into water, they become much more pliable […]
Ginger, Pork & Shrimp Dumplings
Wow your friends and family the next time you serve an appetizer or need to bring a pot luck dish with these delicious simple dumplings. This Asian recipe comes all the way from Australia thanks to Skye K. who is Jennifer’s (Vicki’s daughter), wonderful sister-in-law.
Two Elegant Deviled Egg Recipes
Another great way to use hard-boiled eggs. A tip for success – use creme frâiche instead mayonnaise, it allows the wonderful flavors of salmon, crab and herbs to shine through. The recipes are simple. You can even make them a couple of days ahead of serving (keep refrigerated).
Make and Take Layered Avocado Dip – Ready in Minutes!
Looking for a quick appetizer to bring to a party? This is it! You can make this dip in advance without worrying about the avocados turning brown. The fresh lemon juice and sour cream layer keep the avocados a nice, bright green color. Serve with tortilla chips – the multi-grain “Scoops” are a perfect match. […]
Mexi-Corn Salsa Appetizer
Another simple recipe from The Simple Celebration! This appetizer goes together very quickly, can be made well ahead of your get-together, and looks and tastes great. Recipe courtesy of Evie from Cincinnati.
Potato & Smoked Salmon Starter
Instead of serving salad as a first course, try this potato and smoked salmon dish. Jumbo cooked shrimp easily substitutes for the salmon if one of your guests does not care for smoked salmon.
Mom’s Party Mix
This recipe makes A LOT. If you are making this mix during the holidays, make sure you have plenty of Christmas tins on hand (available at the dollar store). Otherwise, store the mix in Tupperware containers. Line your containers with paper towels and store them in a cool dark place – like your closet.