Butternut Squash Dip

• This is a warm dip that may be prepared a couple of days ahead of time. That is always a plus when you are preparing food for a party or other type of get-together. Just heat it up in the microwave before serving. All you will need is a fall harvested butternut squash, garlic, olive oil, sour cream and some seasoning that you probably already have in your kitchen cupboard. This dip goes perfectly with homemade pita chips or thin toasted slices of a baguette. Use the butternut squash dip as a "mingling" food or make a presentation in a saucer for a sit-down meal. If you can't locate a butternut squash, consider using pumpkin as an alternative.

Stuffed Mushrooms

• Hot stuffed mushrooms, right out of the oven, are a real treat for most guests. This appetizer is at the top of the appetizer gourmet list, but it's still easy enough to make with just a few ingredients. Start with cooking spicy Italian sausage and then mix in spinach, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. After removing the large mushroom stems, fill the mushroom caps them with the mixture and bake them for about 15 minutes. Omit the sausage and just chop up the mushroom stems for the stuffing as an alternative.

Soups as Appetizers

• Consider using a creamy soup as an appetizer, especially if the next course is a salad. It is all in the presentation and container. Be creative and look through your kitchen cupboards for smaller containers. Consider a tea cup, shot glass, or even a fluted champagne glass. Place the soup and it's decorative glass on top of a dessert or salad plate. Include gourmet crackers around the glass. For added color, include a carrot curl or thin celery stick to the dish. The secret to serving soup as an appetizer, in this manner, is to make sure to run it though the food processor. You don't want any large pieces of food that may choke your guests as they drink the soup. Some good soup choices might be potato-leek, roasted carrot with ginger or tomato bisque.

Brie and Apples

• You'll find creamy baked brie cheese and apples a real hit as a fall appetizer. Cut the round of brie in half horizontally, then cut each half into small wedges. Place them onto a cookie sheet with the rind side facing the cookie sheet. Add a mixture of finely cut apples, cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter to the top of each wedge. Bake the appetizer for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Place each wedge on a saucer along with homemade sesame flatbread crackers.