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!
Shrimp Salad Starter
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup multi-colored cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1/2 pound cooked shrimp cut in large pieces
- 1/2 jalapeño diced
- 1/3 cup red onion diced
- 1/3 cup fresh basil sliced
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 parmesan crisps*
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together and divide among four salad bowls.
Notes
For parmesan crisp recipe, click here One Ingredient, Delicious Parmesan Crisps
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.
White Bean and Basil Dip
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 can cannellini beans drained
- 1 head roasted garlic cloves see note below
- 1/2 cup fresh basil chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh chives chopped
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp cumin
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
- Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
- Serve with pita bread and mini rainbow carrots.
Notes
For roasted garlic - cut off the top of garlic head, sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Wrap in aluminum foil and roast for 40 minutes in a 400-degree oven. Let cool. Squeeze the cloves out of the garlic head.
These tasty bites will be a wonderful addition to your Simple Celebration table. You can experiment with different fillings using the same method.
Crab and Cream Cheese Wonton Appetizer
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 4 ounces lump crabmeat drained and diced
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp jalapeño pepper minced
- 2 Tbsp chives snipped
- 1 Tbsp dill chopped
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 24 wonton wrappers
- cooking spray
- Creamy Seafood Sauce* for dipping - see link below
Instructions
- Place a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in oven and preheat to 350°.
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
- Lay out each wonton wrapper on waxed paper.
- Scoop a heaping teaspoon of crab mixture into the center of each wonton.
- Moisten the wonton edges with water. Lift two opposite corners and pinch together. Repeat with other two corners to form a star.
- Transfer the wontons to the hot baking sheet and generously spray with cooking spray.
- Bake until golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes.
Notes
Click here for Creamy Seafood Sauce
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?
Tropical (or not) Snowman Cheese Ball
Servings 10
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz packages cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1/4 cup chives snipped
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan
- 10 peppercorns
- 1 piece red licorice
- 3 pieces dried cherries
- 2 wafer sticks or pretzel sticks
- 1 carrot very tip cut off
Instructions
- Put cream cheese, monterey jack cheese, spices, hot sauce and chives in a medium bowl. Mix.
- Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour or until cream cheese has set.
- Make 3 balls in varying sizes. Roll balls in the shredded parmesan cheese. Place on a platter. Secure with a wooden skewer cut to the height of the snowman.
- Decorate with peppercorns, licorice, wafer sticks, and dried cherries.
Notes
If you want to make it tropical put brown sugar or crushed graham crackers on the plate for "sand." Serve with crackers.
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Something different to add to your simple celebration appetizer collection. Warm, creamy cheese spread on top of a slice of baguette – delicious!
Baked Ricotta
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes chopped
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 tsp fresh Rosemary chopped (optional)
- olive oil to drizzle on top
- baguette sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Spray small baking dish with cooking spray.
- Mix together cheese, tomatoes, salt and pepper.
- Place in baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Bread can be toasted or left plain.
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.
Shrimp, Avocado and Sun-Dried Tomato Crostini
Servings 9
Ingredients
- 1 sourdough baguette sliced into 18 pieces
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 18 X-large raw shrimp shelled and deveined
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 1 tsp fresh dill minced
- 1 tsp red onion diced
- 1/2 ripe avocado sliced into 18 small slices
- 18 pieces sun-dried tomatoes cut into small pieces
Instructions
Baguette (can be made earlier in the day)
- Preheat oven broiler.
- Place 18 slices on baguette on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Put 1 Tbsp olive oil in a small bowl and brush oil over each baguette slice.
- Broil until slices turn slightly brown. This will be a quick 1 -2 minutes.
Shrimp (can be made earlier in the day)
- Heat 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Add shrimp, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Cook shrimp until it turns pink and curls, about 4 minutes
- If you are not assembling the appetizer at this point, refrigerate the shrimp and take out about 30 minutes in advance to let it get to room temperature.
Cream Cheese Mixture
- Place cream cheese, dill and red onions in a small bowl and stir.
Assembly
- Place baguette slices on a platter. Spread the cream cheese mixture over each piece.
- Next place a shrimp, avocado slice and sun-dried tomato over the cream cheese and serve.
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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!
Cold Shrimp Appetizer
Servings 6
Calories 140kcal
Ingredients
- 8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese softened
- 2 Tbsp light mayonnaise
- 4 1/2 ounce can deveined shrimp rinsed and drained OR cooked shrimp
- 3 Tbsp dried minced onions or 1/4 cup minced fresh onion
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill minced
- 2 dashes hot sauce
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Mix cream cheese and mayo until creamy.
- Add onion, dill, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce and stir.
- Fold in the shrimp and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Serve with your favorite crackers.
- Made with fresh shrimp
This “flatbread” is made from puff pastry, not the traditional pizza crust. The pastry adds a flaky goodness to this quick appetizer.
Chorizo, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Olive "Flatbread"
Servings 6
Calories 236kcal
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil additional for topping
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 2 ounces chorizo sausage sliced thin
- 1/8 red onion sliced thin
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes non-marinated
- parmesan cheese shave several pieces over top
- 6 kalamata olives sliced in half
- 1/8 cup fresh chives snipped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Place pastry on tray. Combine oil, garlic, paprika and oregano in a small bowl. Brush oil mixture over pastry, leaving 1/2 inch border.
- Bake 10 minutes. If the pastry pillows up, push it down with a spatula and create a well for the toppings. Top with chorizo, onion, tomatoes and cheese. Pour about 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil over ingredients. Bake 10 additional minutes or until pastry is crisp.
- Top flatbread with olives and chives.
- Slice into 12 pieces using a pizza cutter or serrated knife.
Notes
Make the appetizer a main course for two by adding a crisp green salad.
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Putting this colorful dish together takes less than 10 minutes. It has simple ingredients, but has great taste and color!
Mini Tomato and Feta Frittata Starters
Servings 6
Calories 237kcal
Equipment
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
- 3 ½ ounce feta cheese crumbled
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
- 2 Tbsp snipped fresh chives
- 6 eggs
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 9 cherry tomatoes sliced lengthwise in half
- 5 ounces butter lettuce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Grease a large six hole (3/4 cup) muffin pan and line bases with parchment paper.
- Place cheeses, basil and chives in muffin cup.
- Whisk eggs and cream in a medium bowl; pour into muffin cups.
- Top each frittata with three tomato halves.
- Bake about 25 minutes or until set. Let stand in pan 5 minutes.
- Place lettuce on six appetizer size plates, top with frittata and enjoy!
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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!
Tomato, Basil and Ricotta Appetizer .. or Make it a Meal!
Servings 8
Calories 256kcal
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow tomato sliced into fourths
- 1 large red tomato sliced into fourths
- cracked black pepper
- olive oil
- 6 ounces ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup fresh basil shredded, plus torn leaves for topping
- 1 sheet frozen puffed pastry thawed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Place tomatoes on a baking sheet. Brush each with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, or until soft and slightly dried.
- Once tomatoes are done, raise oven to 375°.
- In a food processor, mix ricotta, parmesan, and eggs until smooth. Stir in shredded basil.
- Place pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread filling on pastry, leaving a 3/4 inch border. Press tomatoes into filling and place torn basil on top. Bake for 40 minutes.
- When done, sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese, if desired, and cut into squares using a pizza cutter.