Appetizers and Snacks

“Appetizers are my favorite part of a meal,” says member Priya Nambiar. “I always experiment when I have friends over. This recipe was one of my first, and it was an instant success!” Priya suggests serving the drummies on a bed of shredded lettuce with sliced onions, sliced tomatoes and lemon wedges.

Brenda L. Detling is a self-taught cook who loves to experiment. After tasting a dip her daughter brought home, she knew she could do better. “I love cream cheese,” Brenda says, “which is why I chose it as my base.” After a few more changes, she arrived at this creamy spread, which makes a delicious topping for crackers or toasted pita chips.

Sprinkling Romano cheese between the phyllo layers of this tart adds a rich, pleasant saltiness. You can bake the crust and slice the tomatoes and cheese ahead of time, but don’t assemble the tart until just before serving to prevent the crust from getting soggy.

Sweet, peppery and crunchy all at once, these walnuts instantly add magic to a salad.

Star anise, the anise-flavored seed native to China, flavors this Asian marinade. Be sure to allow enough time to let the chicken marinate for rich, full flavor.

Carpaccio is a dish of thinly shaved raw beef, usually served as an appetizer. Here we make a "carpaccio" of thinly shaved summer squash. To cut paper-thin slices of the vegetables, use a mandoline, a device that slices and juliennes vegetables and fruits, or a thin slicing disk on a food processor.

Spinach Pesto-Stuffed MushroomsCooking PleasuresThe bread crumbs in the mixture absorb excess moisture from the spinach and mushrooms. To cut back on oil, try spraying the mushroom caps with olive oil-flavored nonstick cooking spray instead of brushing them with olive oil. 1 large garlic clove 2 cups coarsely chopped

This substantial appetizer packs a pleasant bite with each mouthful, making it a very popular snack for many Indians in the western port city of Mumbai (Bombay). Serve the cakes with Mint-Radish Chutney.

Salmon can be either cold- or hot-smoked. Cold-smoking produces a silky texture (nova or lox are two examples). Hot-smoked salmon, often just labeled smoked salmon, looks like a firmer version of a salmon fillet; its more substantial texture is best in this recipe. For the prettiest dip, choose bright-pink fish.

Spicy Herbed Olive MelangeCooking Pleasures8 oz. jumbo Kalamata olives 8 oz. cracked green olives 8 oz. niçoise olives 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper 4 Italian parsley sprigs 2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley 2 kumquats, thinly sliced 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons extra-