Craving finger food? 

If the summer heat is addling your brain and affecting both your appetite and your desire to cook large meals, consider whipping up a fun main course that consists only of appetizers.

It’s lots of fun, and you’ll love this one just as much as the kids do.

Plus, you can make a few of these and throw a party, because what better way to spend those long, summer evenings?

The salty, smoky crispy bacon is the perfect match for the soft, sugary dates with a nice nutty crunch in the middle. If you’d like, you can stuff them with goat cheese or cream cheese instead of nuts.

1. Waffle-Battered Chicken Wings

The best way to turn this favorite meal into bite-sized appetizers is by dipping the fried chicken in waffle batter and then waffling it. Obviously. Want to make it even easier to eat? Use boneless wings, chicken strips or nuggets and serve with toothpicks.

2. Puff Pastry Wrapped Asparagus

If you’re like me, you vastly prefer medium or thin asparagus spears to those really fat ones, which have a tendency to be a little tough and overwhelming. But if you see some, snag a bundle, because once you wrap them in crispy, savory puff pastry, you’ll want to be eating these with every meal.

3. Bite-Sized Baked Brie and Jam Puffs

Fool your guests by offering them this classy, slightly sweet snack. They’ll think that you spent hours on it, but in reality all you need are five ingredients and 15 minutes of prep time. Flaky, buttery crescent rolls really can do it all.

4. Bacon-Wrapped Dates

5. S’more Brownie Bites

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Adorable and delicious! I could totally eat a whole batch of these all on my own. The brownie batter is really easy to make, although you’re more than welcome to buy boxed mix if you want to take shortcuts — just add about two teaspoons of vanilla extract to match Giada’s gourmet flair and go from there.

6. Loaded Totchos

Nachos are classic. French-fry nachos are great. And tater tot nachos are absolutely heavenly. Make sure you make these extra crispy, because they do tend to fall apart — that soft, greasy, crunchy crumble completely adds to the appeal, though.

7. Cereal Ice Cream Sandwiches

These make perfect little desserts or hors d’oeuvres, and you can make them way ahead of time and keep them in the freezer, which is great if you’re having people over and want to cut back on time. Kids will love to make and eat these too. Make mini ones for guests and hide some giant ones in the back of the freezer just for you.

Featured Photo Credit: Sam Craig/Flickr

Tags: appetizer recipes, finger food, Party Snacks, summer recipes, Tasty Tuesday

The weekend is upon us, and we just have this feeling you want those kinds of desserts that are drool-worthy and easy to make — and that fearlessly embrace how crunchy, fried and generally satisfying they are.

These treats are perfect to bring to a get-together, but if you want to stay home and eat them all by yourself instead, it’ll be our little secret; these sweet apps are almost too good to share.

1. Chocolate-Filled Wontons

Besides the delicious crunchy shells and gooey chocolate filling, we just love how simple it is to make these crescents. Pretty much all you do is fill them with chocolate, seal them up, and fry the crap out of them.

2. Loaded Maple Bacon Donut Fries

What’s better than donuts? Donut FRIES. Smother them in bacon, maple syrup and chocolate, and enjoy — or use this recipe as a template and top the fries with anything that would be delicious on a donut, like vanilla glaze, candied pecans and coconut flakes.

3. Fried Apple Rings

If you love apple fritters, you’ll adore these apple rings dipped in a donut-like batter, fried to perfection and coated in cinnamon sugar. They’re “healthy.”

4. Funnel Cake Fries

Yes, you CAN make your favorite fair food at home, and it’s actually pretty easy! For ultimate enjoyment, make them in fry form and plunge them straight into your favorite sweet dipping sauce, like jam, cookie butter or maybe even instant pudding.

5. Cookie Butter S’Mores Dip

Everyone knows s’mores are good all year ’round, whether you have a campfire or not. When you mix cookie butter, chocolate bits and marshmallow fluff together, magic happens.

6. Chocolate Bacon Bomb Pie

So you know about the chocolate and bacon, but there’s more. Wait for it … PRETZEL CRUST.

7. Fried Apple Pies

If you want to skip half the work, pick up a can of your favorite pie filling — any flavor — and these satisfying, crunchy desserts will be ready in no time.

8. Cinnamon Sugar Dessert Chips with Fruit Salsa

No way do chips and salsa have to be savory only. For a super special twist on your favorite snack, bake or fry flour tortilla chips and coat with butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. Dip in fruit preserves, or consider making your own sweet pico de gallo-type chopped salsa with whatever yummy fruits you have on hand.

9. Apple Pie Tacos

Fry up a flour tortilla, douse it with cinnamon sugar and stuff it full of your favorite pie filling. If you’d rather nix the pie filling, throw in some fresh fruit and cream or your favorite dessert spread (Nutella? Cookie butter?) topped with marshmallow fluff instead. The possibilities are endless!

Tags: dessert appetizers, dessert recipes, fried desserts, game day dessert, Party Snacks