Whether you're having a last-minute party or don't have time for a fancy first course, simple appetizers like the ones on this page can be a life saver. These quick appetizers recipes come together super fast (mostly out of items you can pick up at any market), they taste great, and they look beautiful on your buffet table or appetizer set-up. These are the type of simple appetizers that come right out of the fridge or the oven ready to eat. They're uncomplicated, unpretentious, but impressive. These are the kinds of recipes your guests will ask you to share again and again.

The Roasted Pepper and Feta Finger Food, Smokey Chicken Spread, and Chevre & Avocado Crostini recipes here are wonderful simple appetizers. But if you're looking for something different, we have tons more simple and quick appetizers here!

Feta is such a wonderfully flavorful cheese that you need to do very little to make it shine. This simple appetizer recipe is completely uncomplex-- and it's completely delicious. The ingredients are so simple, though, that you'll want to be sure to go with a higher-quality feta to make sure the cheese flavor really comes through.

Serve this hot appetizer spread with crackers, veggies, tortilla or pita chips, or (my favorite) chunks of crusty bread. And watch your guests empty out the pan in no time. Recipe serves about 10.

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Ingredients:
16 oz. (1 lb.) feta cheese, crumbled
3 small, ripe tomatoes, sliced thin
5 jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
1/4 to 1/3 C. good-quality extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. fresh oregano, minced, divided
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
Pinch salt

Instructions: 1. In the bottom of a glass pie pan or similarly-sized dish, spread the crumbled feta.

2. Layer roasted pepper on top. Sprinkle with half the oregano and pepper.

3. Layer the tomatoes on. Pour the olive oil over. Sprinkle remaining oregano and pepper over. Sprinkle tomatoes with small pinch of salt.

4. Stick your pan under a preheated broiler and broil until tomatoes are softened and cheese is bubbly, anywhere from 5-8 minutes. Serve hot.

As far as simple appetizers go, spreads are a great way to get lots of flavor without lots of work. And as far as spreads go, this one tops them all. It's creamy, it's ultra flavorful, it's delicious, and it's not a lot of work. Just buy a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket and you're ready to go! Whenever I set this dish out on an appetizer tray, it goes really really quickly.

To get a pretty presentation like the photo here, line an interestingly shaped container with plastic wrap, scoop the chicken spread inside, pack in well, and un-mold on a serving dish. Garnish as desired and surround with your choice of crackers (buttery crackers like Ritz are great with this), slices of crusty bread, or raw vegetables. Recipe serves 6-8.

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Ingredients:
3 C. cooked chicken, chopped fine (I use the food processor)
1/2 C. celery, minced
1/2 C. toasted almonds, chopped
1/3 C. purple onion, minced
2 small cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3/4 C. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. rubbed sage
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (garnish), or
2 tbsp. sliced almonds (garnish)

Instructions: 1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chicken, celery, almonds, onion, and garlic. Mix well.

2. Stir in the mayonnaise, liquid smoke, honey, salt, paprika, sage, and pepper.

3. Cover and refrigerate two hours (or overnight) to allow flavors to blend. Test for seasoning and add a touch of salt if needed (the amount of salt needed will depend greatly on how your chicken was seasoned). Garnish with sliced almonds or parsley before serving.

This simple appetizer recipe probably sounds a bit strange when you first give it a once-over. After all, goat cheese and avocado is not a combination you see often. But on these cripsy little crostinis, it's a combination that means heaven.

Now, as far as simple appetizers go, this is one of the more complicated recipes on this page, as it has more components than the others. But because you can make most of those components ahead of time, it's actually a really quick appetizer to whip up for a party.

Recipe makes about 35 crostinis.

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Ingredients:
1 crusty baguette
1/4 C. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 perfectly ripe avocados
4 oz. Chevre cheese (soft goat cheese)
salt, to taste
1 1/2 C. perfectly ripe summer tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 C. packed fresh basil, packed

Instructions: 1. First prepare the crostini. This can be done a day or two ahead of time, if you like. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil and garlic. Slice your baguette on the diagonal into 1/4" slices. Brush with oil mixture.

3. Bake crostinis on a single layer on flat baking sheets until crisp and golden, about 12 minutes. Let cool. If you're going to store them for the next day, be sure they're totally cooled before storing in ziplock backs or resealable containers. Otherwise they'll get soft!

4. To make the Chevre-avocado spread, combine the avocado and goat cheese in a small bowl. Mix well with a spoon (I often use and electric mixer) until combined. Add a bit of salt to taste.

5. To make the tomato topping, mix together the tomato, olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Stir in the basil.

6. To assemble your crostinis, top each one with a nice smear of Chevre-avocado spread. Using a slotted spoon to leave any liquid behind, top each crostini with some basil-y tomatoes. Serve quickly or they'll get a bit soggy.