When thinking of an appetizer to serve at upcoming holiday parties, skip processed, premade food and serve something fresh and whole instead. We love this idea from FitSugar reader CheesePlease; she posted it in the Snack Attack: Healthy Snack Ideas community group. Think of Grana Padana as Parmigiano Reggiano's high-maintenance cousin. This cheese is less nutty and salty; a much more delicate Read more

One of the easiest appetizers ever, which I've made countless times, is baked goat cheese. Normally I smother it in marinara sauce and serve it with toasted baguette, but recently I came across a recipe that turns the baked goat cheese into a Tex-Mex-style dip. The marinara is replaced with roasted tomato salsa and tortilla chips stand in for the crostini. The resulting dip is so good I couldn't Read more

I've never met a crostini recipe I didn't like and this one with fresh fava beans and pecorino romano cheese is like taking a bite of Spring. It's light, salty, and herbaceous. Although it takes some time to shell and prepare the beans, once you've completed this step, it's easy to combine the ingredients and slather on crispy toast. If you can't find pecorino, substitute parmesan. Serve with Read more

Although you can essentially enjoy the briny bivalve all year round, it's widely known that oysters are best eaten in months that have a letter "R." Oysters are delicious on the half shell, but my favorite way to prepare them is casino-style. Bacon and butter make everything taste better! The best thing about this recipe is that it can be prepared in advance. The herb butter will keep for a Read more

Chili flakes are one of my very favorite things to cook with, if you haven't already noticed. This appetizer is a classic in my family, and it even made my husband, the olive-hater, love and appreciate this little Mediterranean fruit. You don't need much for this recipe, and measurements are not the important thing here, so feel free to play around a little bit. What's important is that you Read more

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy! Most people you speak to these days are trying to stretch every dollar as far as possible — even the ones they spend buying apples and oranges. Food prices are expected to increase yet again this year, and food manufacturers are making portions smaller without reducing prices. Not surprisingly, a recent Rasmussen poll found Read more

Not so long ago, I fell in love with mini twice-baked potatoes. Naturally, I just had to try another recipe for a bite-size potato; this time I made potatoes topped with tomato-avocado salsa. These potatoes are less labor intensive, but just as delicious. The potatoes are roasted until they're browned and a little crunchy, then topped with the fresh salsa and a dollop of a sour cream. My guests Read more

Are you ready to see the Giants and the Patriots face off once again in next week's ultimate Super Bowl rematch? Well, in preparation for today's major game, don't forget to pull out all the stops in the snack department. Here are a few of our all-time favorites — and for more championship chow, check out the rest of our game day eats, too. Buffalo Chicken Cheese Dip Gyro Jalapeño Read more

I'm always on the hunt for those perfect bite-size appetizers that are suitable for just about any party, even this weekend's Super Bowl. These button mushrooms stuffed with artichoke and spinach dip are just that; they only require a small cocktail napkin and are best served warm, but are even satisfying at room temperature. The earthy mushrooms are filled with a creamy vegetable mixture and Read more