Summer Party Appetizers

“I changed the typical Cowboy Caviar to make it a quick and easy appetizer. Chop everything the same size. This is great with Tostito’s Scoops.” – Rosina

“This is best made with New Jersey tomatoes. I live in NJ’s sister state, Pennsylvania. Except for the tomatoes I ate in France, no other tomato even comes close… If you can’t get Vidalia onions, try ‘red’ or ‘sweet’ onions. I made Bruschetta last night using an extremely ripe NJ tomato. So ripe that it was easy to peel the tomatoes by just using a serrated knife to lift up the end of the skin and just pull… skin practically falls off. The fragrance of the cut-up tomato wafted into the living room… pure heaven!!!! The same with fresh basil.” – Bobbi

“I had fun tweaking this recipe for an Autumn Tea my club had. I love crab and so it made sense I would make something from crab to share with my friends” – Diana

“With all the surplus zucchini at this time of year, this can be a side dish or an appetizer for that summer get together. I have had people enjoy these that are not zucchini fans!” – Patti

“A great summer salsa for BBQs and family gatherings.” – Natalie

“Cool and creamy, this tangy cucumber dip flavored with garlic is the perfect complement to grilled meats and vegetables, like souvlaki and fried zucchini.” – Maria

“My husband and I came up with this recipe after collecting a lot of produce from our home garden.” – Wanda

“This recipe will feed an elegant crowd or a hungry family. The idea to use stuffing came from a magazine article a few years ago. I kept tweaking it around and got this. I love it as a quick go-to dish when I have forgotten to thaw something for dinner. It’s very pantry-friendly!” – Charlene

“My granddaughter loves these. The red cherry tomatoes are good, but the little yellow tomatoes are fantastic. Much better than the red ones.” – Cathy

“What’s better than fried pickle spears? How about fried pickled okra spears! Super easy to make, the pickled okra spears are coated in a cornmeal mixture that is perfectly seasoned and crispy. Inside, they’re soft with delicious flavor from the pickling marinade. Use regular or hot pickled okra based on how spicy you’d like the fried pickled okra. Dip in ranch or your favorite dipping sauce for a delicious appetizer, snack, or side dish.” – Kitchen Crew

“This is my favorite salsa. Even though it is easy and quick it is delicious. I grew up with my mom making it. I have streamlined the process so it only takes 5 minutes to make. Enjoy this Salsa Cruda.” – Deedee

“Shrimp isn’t grilled or in traditional BBQ sauce, but that’s what they call it in New Orleans and it is SOOO good!” – Cheryl

“I know there are quite a few steps to these yummy golden brown rings, but oh so worth the time and effort. You will get rave reviews from onion ring lovers both young and old. I just like making everything from scratch. It’s just nice to sit back and see the labor of love enjoyed by family and friends.” – Susan

“Serve with warm maple syrup, sour cream, or my favorite, applesauce. You can make them big, like a pancake, or small for appetizers. One of my ‘comfort foods.’ Enjoy! xoxo” – Denise

“If at all possible, use fresh, homegrown tomatoes – you’ll be in heaven!” – Judy

“I love using up my fresh garden zucchini, which seems to always be more than I can keep up with. These fried zucchini strips go fast, so make plenty and serve ’em up while it’s good and hot. I love to make a variety of sauces to go along with the fried zucchini, a few of which I’ve shared at the end of the recipe. Enjoy!” – Holly

“I love aguacate. I grew up in the Yucatan Peninsula, where aguacate (avocados) grow in people’s backyards. I have found good avocados in my home grocery store here in Iowa.” – Maria

“Watermelon Mozzarella Salad is very easy to make, flavorful, and crowd-pleasing. It is perfect for your BBQ parties or any other summer gatherings. The original recipe uses cantaloupe but I really did not enjoy the flavors. But when I tried it with cold watermelon, I fell in love with it. The magic is all in the zesty salad dressing! It helps to bring out the flavors of watermelon and marinates Mozzarella as well. And believe me, it is very refreshing, light, and delicious. Now we prefer to eat watermelon this way only!” – Grishma

“This is such a bright and fresh-tasting salsa. There are rarely leftovers when I bring this to get-togethers. If there is extra, it’s because this makes such a big batch! This is very easy to alter to your own tastes, as well.” – Jenni

“A recipe for Zucchini Bruschetta Bites : Tomato bruschetta on bite sized slices of zucchini topped with melted cheese!” – Kevin

“This creamy corn dip has the perfect balance of sweetness and taco spices. Full of veggies and cheese, it’s the perfect party dip.” – Debbie