10 appetizers gone before the first toast of the night

A toast needs something to eat before it, and that window fills up fast. These 10 are what goes on the table first: warm olives and candied bacon while the shrimp and wings are still coming out, tater tots and sliders in the middle, and deviled eggs and cucumber boats alongside.

Lemon Pepper Wings

The long prep time is almost entirely marinade: chicken wings sit in lemon juice, avocado oil, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder for about four hours before they go into the oven. Baking them on a rack lets the skin crisp without any frying involved. Fresh parsley goes on at the end. At eight servings, this is worth making when the party is actually large.

Get the recipe: Lemon Pepper Wings

Bacon Onion Jam

Bacon gets browned in a single skillet, then yellow onions, garlic, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, brewed coffee, and maple syrup all go in and simmer down together for about 40 minutes into something deeply savory and sweet. Smoked paprika and black pepper run through the whole thing. The result serves 10, and since it is freezer-friendly, a batch goes further than one party. It works on burgers, sandwiches, crackers, or a cheese board.

Get the recipe: Bacon Onion Jam

Boom Boom Shrimp

Boom Boom Shrimp starts with large shrimp coated in a batter of all-purpose flour and cornstarch, then fried in canola oil until the outside turns properly crisp. The sauce comes together from sweet chili sauce, creamy peanut butter, mayonnaise, ketchup, sriracha, and lemon juice, producing something rich, spicy, and tangy all at once. From prep to plate the whole thing takes about 35 minutes. The recipe serves four.

Get the recipe: Boom Boom Shrimp

Spicy Egg Salad Cucumber Boats

Spicy Egg Salad Cucumber Boats mix hard-boiled eggs with plain Greek yogurt, stone-ground mustard, hot sauce, and fresh dill, then spoon that filling into halved cucumbers. Freeze-dried chives, green onions, paprika, and cayenne all go into the mix. Flaky sea salt and freshly-cracked pepper finish each boat before serving. The whole recipe takes 25 minutes from start to finish and serves two.

Get the recipe: Spicy Egg Salad Cucumber Boats

Roast Beef Sliders

Hawaiian rolls get layered with roast beef deli meat, Swiss cheese, and white cheddar, with a horseradish mayo spread holding it all together. The rolls go into the oven for 38 minutes, finishing under a butter crust seasoned with Worcestershire sauce and Everything Bagel Seasoning. All 12 come out in under an hour, ready to be served alongside au jus or with extra horseradish mayo, Dijon, honey mustard, or creamy onion dip on the side.

Get the recipe: Roast Beef Sliders

Buffalo Deviled Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs get a Buffalo-style filling built from mayonnaise, Frank’s RedHot, and dijon mustard, whipped smooth with an electric mixer and piped back into the whites. Garlic powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, and chili powder all go into that filling, so the heat is real. The whole process, from boiling to piping, takes about 30 minutes. This recipe makes 24, which means it stretches well across a big spread.

Get the recipe: Buffalo Deviled Eggs

Loaded Tater Tots

Frozen tater tots go into the oven seasoned with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper, while bacon gets cooked in a single skillet until crisp. Once the tots are done, mild cheddar cheese melts over the top, followed by a finish of thinly sliced green onions, chives, and sour cream. Start to finish, it takes 35 minutes for 6 servings, and the loaded platter goes fast.

Get the recipe: Loaded Tater Tots

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Freezer Meal

Built from chicken, pork rinds, parmesan, mozzarella, and heavy whipping cream, these meatballs get seasoned with Frank’s RedHot, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes before going into the oven. The recipe makes a batch of 16 and is designed to be frozen raw, then baked straight from frozen at 425°F for 40 to 45 minutes. After baking, they get tossed in more Frank’s RedHot and finished with blue cheese crumbles and green onions, with 65 minutes total from prep to table when made fresh.

Get the recipe: Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Freezer Meal

Golden Baked Jicama Fries

Jicama gets boiled in salted water before being tossed in avocado oil or olive oil with turmeric, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder, then baked for 55 minutes until the fries turn golden. That two-step process accounts for most of the 75-minute total time. The recipe makes 6 servings and finishes with fresh parsley scattered over the top. It’s a longer commitment than some of the other recipes on this tray, but the method is clear: boil, season, bake.

Get the recipe: Golden Baked Jicama Fries

Jalapeño Spinach Artichoke Dip

The dip is built from cream cheese, parmesan, mayonnaise, sour cream, canned artichoke hearts, frozen spinach, and jarred jalapeño peppers, all seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper. It spends 35 of its 50 total minutes in the oven, finishing under the broiler so the top gets browned. At 10 servings, it’s one of the larger-batch recipes here, and the combination of spinach, artichoke, and jalapeño keeps it from going sweet or mild on anyone who reaches for a second scoop.

Get the recipe: Jalapeño Spinach Artichoke Dip