Get Your Guests Toasted with These 3 Tasty, Fast, Simple Toast Appetizers

Need a quick appetizer that will WOW your unexpected company and tastes and look like a culinary chef-created? Why not sever toast! “…WHAT TOAST? Are you saying serve toast to my guests?” The answer to this may surprise you because it is a resounding yes!

Just remember everyone loves toast! Toast creates memories of warm cozy winter evenings and a comforting down-home feeling that you can celebrate in style with family and friends. Toast is not too filling and yet balances warmth with savory goodness.

Did you know that your nose knows that toasting good bread turns starches pure flavor? That’s right! According to the Institute of Food Science & Technology in London, “During the heating process, the starches within the food are broken down (by a chemical reaction) into sugars called dextrin. Dextrins are brown in color and have a distinct taste and consistency. The dextrins produced are pyrodextrins. Pyrodextrins can give the bread crusts and toast a “toasted” flavor.”

Your body loves toasted bread! Adding a couple of simple ingredients from your refrigerator or pantry only adds to toast’s unique deliciousness! All the while allowing guests to imagine you’ve worked in the kitchen for hours just waiting for them to arrive. These delicious treats are great for quick and easy nutritious breakfast ideas or anytime!

A small loaf of either thin sliced French bread or Italian bread would work best. However, if all you have is a bag of store-bought white bread to serve, that will work too! The number of guests determined bread slices.

Use the following 3 recipes to wow and satisfy your company.

Deli Meat and Fruit Toast

Preparation time: 5 minutes

1 Teaspoon cream cheese softened per slice
1/2 Ounce of thinly sliced deli meat – per piece of bread
2 Very delicately sliced fruit whatever you have on hand – per piece of bread
1/4 cup any crumbly cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat broiler to medium heat. Spread cream cheese over bread, top with thinly sliced deli meat and fruit, and sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper. If you have available crumbled cheese, this can be lightly sprinkled on top but is optional.

Place in broiler or toaster oven until nicely brown!

The above recipe is based on prosciutto deli meat, cantaloupe melon, and French bread – serves one (serving size one slice) – Calories 143 – Fat 6g (saturated 4g, unsaturated 2g) – Protein 8g – Carbs 15g – Fiber 2g – Sugar 4g ( added sugars 2g) – Sodium 380mg – Calc 4% DV – Potassium 3% DV

Jam and Brie

Preparation time: 5 minutes

1 – 1 ounce slice of bread
1 Tablespoon Jam
1/2 ounce Brie cheese or any mild spreadable cheese – cut into thin wedges – per piece of bread
1/8 Teaspoon of dried thyme or any savory herb on hand
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven broiler to high. Spread jam over bread and top with cheese. Broil until cheese melts and starts to brown. Sprinkle with herbs, salt, and pepper.

The above recipe is based on blackberry jam, Brie cheese, and French bread – serves one (serving size one slice) – Calories 173 – Fat 5g (saturated 3g, unsaturated 2g) – Protein 7g – Carbs 25g – Fiber 2g – Sugar 14g ( added sugars 13g) – Sodium 197mg – Calc 6% DV – Potassium 2% DV

Sesame Seed and Apple

Preparation time: 5 minutes

1 Tablespoon of either sesame seed paste (tahini), peanut butter, or yogurt. Any one of these will work.
1 – 1 ounce slice of bread
4 Thin slices of apple per piece of bread
1 Teaspoon of Honey or jam
1/8 Teaspoon ground spice, Cinnamon, All-spice, Ginger, or Cumin any one of these spices will do!
1/8 Teaspoon Toasted Sesame Seeds

Spread the paste over bread, top with apple slices, then drizzle honey or jam, lightly sprinkle spice to taste, top with a small number of toasted sesame seeds (seeds optional.)

The above recipe is based on Granny Smith apples, tahini paste, and whole-grain deli bread – serves one (serving size one slice) – Calories 198 – Fat 8.6g (saturated 1g, unsaturated 7g) – Protein 7g – Carbs 26g – Fiber 4g – Sugar 10g ( added sugars 8g) – Sodium 120mg – Calc 10% DV – Potassium 3% DV