101 Simple Appetizers

The Lazy Hostess has a crush. Naturally, it’s on a best-selling cookbook author who goes by the moniker - The Minimalist (from his popular column in the New York Times).

Mark Bittman (of the wildly successful How to Cook Everything) has created 101 simple appetizers that can be prepared in 20 minutes or less. The easy recipes are perfect for the time-pressed entertainer who wants sophisticated, home-cooked hors d’oeuvres.

Some of our favorites include the ones served on toothpicks such as the Pitted Dates Wrapped with Bacon and the Bay Scallops Seared in Butter with Lemon and Parsley. Especially elegant is the Crabmeat with Minced Shallots on Lettuce Leaves (or we love endives as well).

Another classic is the recipe for Shrimp Cocktail sauce which can be whipped up on the spot with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen like ketchup, chili powder, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco and horseradish.

Some of Bittman’s recipes do not require any cooking at all and, if you are in a real pinch, can be prepared with high quality store bought food. With such delicious bites to offer, it’s a detail you need not share with your guests…

For the fully published list (which you should absolutely bookmark), see 101 Simple Appetizers in 20 Minutes or Less [NY Times].

PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Sung for the New York Times.