These are the appetizers I've collected over many, many years entertaining and working in the industry. I've picked up so many shortcuts that actually hold up, and I know which ones really work here and don't fall apart last minute in the kitchen.

I know which dishes can survive being made a bit ahead, which need the slow cooker's gentle heat, and which ones are fine to throw together in those absolutely awesome last few minutes when your kitchen is a complete mess. Remember, guys, the goal here is to enjoy your own party instead of being stuck in the kitchen the whole time. These appetizers are for the host with the most.

Prep Method	Appetizer Ideas
Make-Ahead (Cold)	Pico de Gallo, Black Bean Salsa, Taco Pinwheels, Mango Salsa, 7-Layer Dip Cups
Crockpot (Set & Forget)	Queso Blanco, Carnitas Sliders, Warm Refried Bean Dip
Last-Minute / Oven	Sheet Pan Nachos, Taquitos, Street Corn Dip, Jalapeno Poppers, Guacamole, Quesadillas, Empanadas, Stuffed Peppers, Shrimp Bites, Churro Bites

1. Crockpot Queso Blanco

I don't think anybody can resist a white cheese dip like this crockpot queso blanco. This is such a party pleaser, and when I make this, all my friends hover around it, dipping away with whatever they can find to shove into the deliciousness.

If you can't find queso blanco cheese, no worries; you can totally use Monterey Jack or even a mix of Monterey Jack and mozzarella. I find that works just as well; you just want it to melt and not go oily. And I think the green chilies are non-negotiable, but if you want extra heat, you can add some diced jalapeño, or you can skip it altogether.

I don't know about you guys, but the kids also absolutely adore this cheesy dip and chips. Don't make this and walk away from it, because cheese dips do separate pretty easily, so you need to stir it every half hour or so.

And then of course I serve this with tortilla chips, and it's great for a big party because you can make large batches. You can't go wrong with this.

2. Sheet Pan Beef Nachos

My niece is big on me making these one-pan sheet beef nachos when they come over, and it's typically while they're watching something on TV, munching away at these nachos. They're super easy to make and take about 20 to 25 minutes total. Make sure you make this with a single layer, because if you stack too many chips on there, they become soggy.

A huge tip with this one is the cheese actually goes on twice, once mid-bake and once at the end, so it gives you that even melt without burning the tops. Then of course you serve this with the traditional guacamole, jalapeños, and sour cream, and you've got yourself a super easy grazing plate.

3. Individual 7-Layer Dip Cups

I think these are such a win because not only do they taste so good, but they also look so pretty. I think people find it less intimidating to pick up their own cup of dip and walk away.

Sometimes it can be a bit daunting being the first one to go and stick your big chip into the dip on the table at a party, so if you want an icebreaker, I would definitely make these. They're also pretty cool because you can make them ahead, keep them covered in the fridge, and then literally just pull them out when your guests arrive.

It's all the amazing things in one cup: sour cream, guacamole, salsa, grated cheese, lettuce, tomato. And the order does matter here for structure. These are little cups of wonder, and I definitely advise you to make them, because your friends will be impressed.

4. Easy Pico de Gallo

This is super healthy and really refreshing: an easy pico de gallo I make and leave on the table for people to help themselves to, scooping it up with whatever they want, whether that's a taco or a tortilla chip. I like to use those red tomatoes. I make this in advance, but it's definitely best eaten the same day.

It's not really one of those things you can eat the next day, although you could use leftovers in making a curry or a stew. It definitely has to go with jalapeño, white onions, salt, and a little bit of sugar to taste.

5. Baked Chicken Taquitos

These baked chicken taquitos fly off the plate. I never deep-fry them; I always bake them because I think they taste better and feel better to eat, with fewer calories. You just need to brush them with a little bit of olive oil on top and then bake them, and they pretty much taste the same.

Corn tortillas are more traditional, but I think flour is way easier because you can roll them and they don't crack. Kitchen secret here: warm those tortillas first if you're using them, because this prevents them from splitting.

I like to serve these on a big platter with some shredded lettuce on the base, then lay the taquitos on top of the lettuce, add some salsa over that, and guacamole on the side, plus sour cream and tons of lime. Even the kids go for these ones.

Bonus: they only take about 30 minutes, so they're a really fast weeknight or party option.

6. Mexican Street Corn Dip

When making this Mexican Street Corn Dip, one thing I totally suggest is charring your corn. If you don't, you lose that whole smokiness and it kind of defeats the object. If you don't have time to char it in the morning or even the day before, don't rush it.

This takes about 25 minutes hands-on, so it's pretty fast to make for a party or a side dish at a barbecue. I like to add tons of cream cheese and cilantro, and then you scoop it up with whatever chip you've got.

7. Black Bean and Corn Salsa

This is a super healthy salsa that I like to make, and you can either have it as a salsa for snacks or you can have it as a side dish. It's absolutely zero cooking, which is pretty easy, and most of these ingredients come from a can or the freezer, so this is pretty much a throw-together kind of salsa.

You can either use fresh corn here or canned; they both work the same, and then of course if you roast that corn it adds that smokiness, which does add a new dimension to the sal

8. Mini Jalapeno Popper Boats

Mini jalapeno popper boats always go down like a treat. They take about 20 minutes to do, and you've got to get that heat really high so it blisters the peppers and multiplies that heat fast. You've got to cut them in half; that's where the jalapeños get cut in half, that's where the heat comes from, and then remove the seeds.

This isn't deep frying the whole thing in batter, so removing the seeds removes most of that heat, which is quite a nice way to adjust the spice level on these. Then, of course, the filling is cream cheese and cheddar on top. And if you don't want to do bacon, you can just omit that.

9. Slow Cooker Carnitas Sliders

When I'm making these, I do the meat part, the carnitas meat, a day before, and I just do it in a slow cooker, which is obviously much more of a shortcut than frying it and hovering over it. It takes about eight hours to cook, so it's low and slow, which breaks down the collagen. You don't want this meat to get dry, so make sure you do it the right way.

The next day, when you're putting everything together and assembling the sliders, it literally takes 10 minutes, and you can pop them in the fridge. Then when your guests arrive, just pull them out. It really is a delicious combination.

10. Classic Chunky Guacamole

You could never go wrong with classic chunky guacamole. It's so versatile; you can honestly use it for absolutely anything, as a dip or on a salad, but this one here I like to use when I am hosting. I just think everyone loves a chunky guacamole.

When you're making it, obviously avocado oxidizes really fast, so either you serve it right away or press some plastic wrap directly on the surface. This will stop that brown shield developing on top of it. I normally find three ripe avocados make about two cups, so it typically serves about six people as a dip. Always make sure you're using a wrap that's coated well, because there's nothing worse than under-wrapped guacamole. Season it well, top with a big squeeze of lime, and you're ready to go.

11. Cheesy Quesadilla Wedges

I actually normally make these cheesy quesadilla wedges hand in hand with chunky guacamole and a tomato salsa. I think those three together just go so well, and they're lovely at a party. These take about 10 minutes to cook, four to five minutes per side on medium heat.

Be careful, guys, when you're doing this. High heat melts the cheese way too fast and also burns the tortilla before it crisps evenly. And the cheese does melt fast, so serve these immediately. Don't be tempted to heat these up in the microwave because they do go soggy, and then it kind of defeats the object. So if you are reheating, use a dry pan instead.

12. Taco Pinwheels

I make these bad boys way ahead, especially if I've got a lot of people coming, because basically you can just whip them out of the fridge and save them, and it looks like you spent hours doing them. Don't roll them too loosely before chilling, because then your cuts won't be clean.

I find the kids love these ones, and if you want to spice things up and change the recipe a little bit, you can cut your pinwheels a little bit thinner, sprinkle some cheddar cheese over them, and then throw them in the oven, and then they become a completely different meal altogether.

13. Shortcut Mini Empanadas

These guys look hard to make, but they're actually pretty straightforward. The trickier part is buying the dough; really, just store-bought works fine. Then basically all you have to do is cut circles, put your filling in, whatever you've decided to use, fold them over, and close them with a fork.

Brush them with a little bit of butter or oil, and then you can either freeze them here, which actually does end up making them a bit more crispy, or you can cook them right away. If you decide to cook them right away, let them sit in the fridge for about 10 minutes first. These make lovely little morsels, but be careful not to overfill them, because what happens is they burst at the seams and then become soggy, and then they're not really much of a treat.

14. Chorizo Stuffed Sweet Peppers

These are great sneaky little appetizers that you can make well before your guests arrive. Make the filling first, then just stuff the peppers before you bake them. This probably takes about 20 minutes cooking time, and you need to get those peppers nice and blistered in that oven. When you're picking these up, make sure you're using sweet mini peppers, not bell peppers.

There is a difference in the taste. Remove those seeds. I like to finish these off with lots of raclette on top, or cheddar, grilled in the oven, and these look really nice on the plate with some coriander sprinkled over before my guests arrive. They always go down a treat.

15. Fresh Mango Salsa

This is my favorite no-cook recipe; it just takes a little knife-work without the need for any heat. You can only really make this mango salsa if you've got mangoes that are in season and perfectly ripe. If they’re underripe, the salsa will taste starchy and sour, while the overripe ones will turn it mushy. Just note that it might take slightly longer than 15 min to prep, as finely chopping mango and red onion is one of those skills that improves with practice.

16. Warm Refried Bean Dip

There's something really comforting about a warm refried bean dip. I don't know what it is, but I really do love beans. This takes about two hours to cook, and I only ever really use canned beans here. I'm not going to put myself through doing it from scratch with dried beans, but if you've got them, go ahead and use them. You've got to make sure they're cooked and mashed, then fried, just once, despite the name.

Make sure you season this dip correctly. I think this needs cumin and garlic, and you've got to keep tasting it because the flavor kind of disappears with all that cooking. This is also delicious if you grate some cheese over the top and bake it, then top it with some salsa, some jalapeños, and some sour cream, and you've got yourself a delicious dipping bowl of goodness.

17. Shrimp and Avocado Bites

If you want to wow your guests, please try out this appetizer; it is so easy. Basically, cook your shrimp, which is really fast, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Don't overcook them, because then they become rubbery. Remember, avocado oxidizes really quickly, so add that lemon and lime to stop the browning.

These are naturally gluten-free and low carb, so they are a win generally. I like to serve them on top of thick-cut slices of cucumber, which act like a little plate. And these are a mouthful of heaven, and they look fancy as well.

18. Cinnamon Sugar Churro Bites

You can put yourself through that slog if you want to and make these from scratch, but I generally just buy the choux-style dough already pre-made. Traditionally, these are long like rods, but because we're serving these as appetizers or canapés, we're making them into balls. They take about 12 minutes to cook in the oil, which needs to be 190°C. It's pretty crucial that you get this right; otherwise, they don't absorb that oil properly.

Make sure you get the cinnamon-sugar ratio correct too; it's normally one teaspoon of cinnamon per one quarter cup of sugar. And when I really want to wow my guests, after I've made these, I dip them in some chocolate and serve them with some fresh strawberries and cream, and everybody goes crazy for them.