Chunky, golden, and wildly addictive. This French Onion Dip starts with slow-cooked onions in butter and olive oil until deeply caramelized, then folded into a creamy mix of sour cream, mayo, and a splash of lemon. Rich, tangy, and perfectly salty—serve with chips, crostini, or anything that needs a little extra love.

My tip for a fantastic go-to appetizer: stock your bar with a bottle of Pernod, your freezer with shrimp, and learn this lovely recipe by heart.

Delicious empanadas with chicken and apple and a pastry so delicate, it melts in your mouth.

Serve antipasto as individual portions for a dinner party, on small plates arrange each of the ingredients on a starter plate. It’s a nice touch and everyone loves having their own plate. You can still have a larger cheese board in the middle of the table.

A delicious and easy recipe to make as a quick appetizer or lunch.

Our rendition of an old family favourite that ordinarily called for sour cream and canned mushrooms is done here with porcini mushrooms, whipping cream, Marsala wine and a fancy tart cutter. Perfect for any affair.

I take the time to write little love notes for my daughter’s lunchbox, or drop in at her school unannounced, and I always look for ways to make her friends feel special.

I created this recipe for homemade potato chips and on a day when she had friends over for a playdate, I served them with ketchup. I watched and listened while these little friends dipped and double dipped, giggled, munched, and had the cutest, most interesting conversation over this simple bowl of homemade potato chips. Something so simple made special.

A back lane dinner invitation and a promise to bring something nice brought me to a neighbourhood grocery store looking for ideas. “I’m looking for an appetizer that will make a great first impression,” I said. “Figs, goat cheese, basil, prosciutto, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar” was the reply. My neighbours never forgot the figs. Here, with figs out of season, we switched them up with pears.

Elevate your party to a level of grandeur with simple puff pastry served the Louis Vuitton way. They take only minutes to make but bring rave reviews from grown ups and teeny guests alike.

Halibut, shrimp and crab combined with lemongrass, ginger and cilantro served with an Asian inspired dip that delivers a stunning twist on taste. This delicious starter transforms any dinner party into a classic event and like all things classic, long remembered.

Some years ago, my neighbours brought these tasty drumettes to a Christmas brunch and they were irresistible! I have since made them many times; the savoury sweet balance of soy sauce, vinegar and sugar transforms simple into spectacular! —Mari

For a truly authentic, Asian flavour experience take the time for this very elaborate recipe. Seven ingredients in the marinade and eleven in the dipping sauce may seem intimidating, but if you read through the recipe, and break it down, it’s far from complicated. I love to shop at Asian markets, however conventional grocery stores now carry an extensive Asian selection, so shopping for these ingredients is not difficult. A rendition from the cookbook Big Bowl, this is simply the best satay and peanut sauce I have ever had.