Mix and Match

• One of the simplest salami and cracker ideas is to serve the two as part of a basic antipasto platter. Include other appetizer-worthy treats like olives, slices of red and green peppers, cheeses like goat cheese and mozzarella, olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes and pickled cucumbers and okra. Also, double or triple up on the meats, adding slices of prosciutto or pepperoni or whatever other meaty snack you desire. Lay out an assortment of high-quality crackers but also add some fresh bread slices, toasted baguette pieces and flatbreads.

Dip It

• The salami can be blended and mixed into different kinds of dips and spreads that you can then spoon on top of your crackers. One dip with hints of the iconic Italian hoagie mixes salad dressing, tomatoes, onions, peppers, provolone and diced turkey and salami. A similar option is the muffuletta dip -- named after the New Orleans specialty -- that leaves out the turkey and includes Parmesan cheese instead. Another spreadable option is to work pieces of salami into a cheese ball, which is exactly like it sounds -- a host of ingredients molded and held together by cheese.

Get Your Greens

• Both salami and crackers work in a number of salads. Antipasto salad, for instance, mixes all the familiar ingredients in diced and chopped forms and then has the crackers double as croutons. Another salad borrows flavors from another crowd favorite -- pizza. In addition to salami and crackers, the pizza pasta salad has pepperoni, mozzarella, red onions, black olives, oregano and macaroni -- substitute the crackers for real croutons for a more traditional preparation. A final way to go is a variation on a Greek salad: Add diced salami to it, then serve with crackers on the side.

Mini Sandwiches

• With salami and crackers, you've already got the meat and bread of some delicious little sandwiches -- all you need to do is fill in the blanks. Top one cracker with a salami slice, leaf of lettuce, tomato slice, seasonings, dressing and whatever else you want, then top with another cracker. Don't build the sandwiches too high or else you might break one or both of the crackers and make a mess. The salami and cracker combination may also work as a rudimentary crostini, which is kind of a tiny open-faced sandwich; top a cracker with salami, cheese and veggies.