Appetizers

Pimento Cheese recipe that’s classic and simple with just grated Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, and cayenne pepper. It’s easy to make and great as either a dip or for sandwiches! Homemade pimento cheese is one of those classic Southern dishes that many of us remember from childhood as something we never gave much thought to. …

Roasting garlic in the oven is easy and a perfect way to add flavor to many of your favorite foods. While raw garlic is pungent and savory, once you roast garlic in the oven, it becomes mellow and creamy. Have you ever made roasted garlic in the oven? It’s one of those things that you …

Cherry Tomato Salad is so easy with just fresh mozzarella balls, fresh basil, and a simple dressing of white balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Pretty to look at and perfect for parties! Caprese salad is so popular during the height of summer when tomatoes are at their peak. That lovely combination of fresh tomato and …

Prosciutto wrapped asparagus crispy from the grill and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese is one of our favorite and easiest appetizers! The plate is empty almost before it hits the table.  I admit it, we have a thing for prosciutto: Prosciutto with Pears, Arugula, and Goat Cheese; Prosciutto, Arugula, and Cheese; Fig Jam, Caramelized Onion, and Prosciutto …

Peach Chutney with fresh ginger and lime juice is the perfect topping for your grilled meats or your holiday ham! Fruit chutneys are excellent for adding that extra touch of flavor to meat, poultry, or fish. And almost any fruit can be made into a chutney, which is basically a relish. Around the holidays, I …

Bruschetta with fresh basil and other herbs, garlic, and balsamic vinegar–makes a great snack or appetizer and keeps for days! If I’m traveling for a party or potluck event, I like to take foods that pack well and can work for easy appetizers or a quick meal. My go-to recipes are pimento cheese, pound cake, …

Easy Feta Dip that you can make in less than 10 minutes! Bring the flavor of the Greek islands to your next party with this simple smooth and creamy dip! I first had feta dip at a Greek restaurant in Franklin, Tennessee, and my girlfriends and I loved it! Then when my husband and I …

Caramelized bacon is crispy, candied bacon made with a pecan, brown sugar, and maple syrup paste—it’s the first thing to go at gatherings! The title says it all, doesn’t it? This was the first recipe I saw when I bought Ina Garten’s cookbook, Foolproof, and let me tell you, people love this bacon. It is …

These cucumber tea sandwiches are simple to make and will lend an old-fashioned elegance to your next party! Made with cream cheese and thin white bread, cucumber sandwiches are always a crowd pleaser. There’s something about cucumber tea sandwiches with cream cheese that’s reminiscent of Great Gatsby days, of times when elegance reigned and things were …

This colorful Pesto Pasta Salad features a zippy lemon basil pesto salad dressing, along with bowtie pasta, sundried tomatoes, asparagus, artichoke hearts, and more lemon zest…it’s overflowing with flavor and color and pizazz! Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta Salad…you know you can’t resist a pasta salad with a name like that. It’s superb and has a …

Vidalia Onion Dip is a simple, creamy, sweet onion dip that mixes up in minutes, bakes for half an hour, and is devoured in seconds! We first tried this sweet onion dip years ago at a work reception that was held at the home of a lovely older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Chancy, in Florida. …

These Baked Chicken Wings with Honey Garlic Sriracha Sauce are spicy-sweet, sticky, and DELICIOUS! These wings are my family’s favorite and we always have them on the table for game day! You know you have a winner when your husband cleans his plate, licks his fingers, and proclaims whatever you’ve cooked to be, “The best …

Southern Deviled Eggs are creamy with a touch of sweetness from pickle relish and a sprinkle of paprika on top. Very simple and tasty! A Southern gathering isn’t complete without a plate of deviled eggs…and that plate is always a deviled egg plate. Every good Southern hostess should have one, usually passed down from her …

Cheese Straws — crispy, buttery, homemade crackers that are easy to make and a great appetizer! Southerners love cheese straws and serve them at bridal showers, baby showers, and anything in between.  If you attend a bridal or baby shower in the South, or a church dinner on the grounds, or just about any type …

Pickled Shrimp is a simple shrimp recipe that you can serve as an appetizer or as a main course. With an overnight marinade in pickling spice, this pickled shrimp recipe is make-ahead and healthy! When I throw a dinner party, the entree is usually the main event, especially if it’s something like Braised Beef Short …

Slow cooker barbecue meatballs, Puerto Rican style with recaito and honey barbecue sauce—easy and delicious! A few years ago, my friend Jenni brought a crockpot full of these barbecue meatballs to our Super Bowl party. Everyone went nuts! The meatballs were devoured before anything else—and we had a LOT of yummy food available! Of course …

Pickled Red Onions may be the easiest and best condiment ever, with just sliced red onions, vinegar, and a little salt and sugar. These pickled red onions can enhance the most mundane of dishes, like sandwiches or a simple green salad. I am in love with these pickled red onions. They are so easy to …

Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip made with three cheeses and Ranch dressing makes a great appetizer for feeding a crowd or weeknight dinner sliders. Cook the chicken in the crock pot and your work is done! Don’t you love easy appetizers? I sure do, especially ones that are portable and can be made ahead. This Easy …

Pear Salad made with grated cheese and mayonnaise is an old-fashioned Southern favorite. Serve it as an appetizer or side dish to go with almost any meal. Let me just go ahead and say that if you aren’t from the South, you’ve probably never tasted this particular Southern delicacy before. Canned pears? Yuck. In any …

Country Fried Steak Sliders with Caramelized Onions will elevate your next tailgate to the knockout level! Wow your guests with these easy, tasty sliders! If you grew up in the South, you know that football is pretty big around here. Some of the local high schools have nicer stadiums than a lot of colleges! So …

Give your next party an extra dose of fun with this spicy Jalapeno Pimento Cheese—easy and classic Southern Pimento Cheese with a kick from diced jalapeno peppers! There’s rarely a gathering of any sort in the South that does not include someone’s favorite pimento cheese. This iconic classic has graced Southern tables for decades, and there …

Simple, Perfect Guacamole—just avocado, jalapeno and serrano peppers, a little onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice. That’s all you need to make the best guacamole! Y’all, let me tell you, I love guacamole so much I could eat it every day. I don’t, of course, because it’s so high in calories, but I could. When I’m …

Green Goddess Dressing made with mayonnaise, sour cream, watercress, and lots of fresh herbs. It’s delicious on salad, fish, or as a dip! It’s easy to pull out regular old Ranch dip when you’re having a party and want to serve chopped vegetables, but it you want to serve something a little prettier and with …

Isn’t springtime synonymous with picnics? It’s neither too cold nor too hot, the gnats are not out in full force, trees and flowers are filled with green buds and it feels as though we’ve been cooped up in the dreary dark of winter for years. Along about the middle to end of March I long …