Bread, Herbs and Cheese

• Both thin baguette slices rubbed with garlic, called bruschetta, or crackers from the grocery store provide sturdy beds for herb and cheese appetizers. Spreads made with cream cheese; chopped herbs, such as chives, dill, parsley and cilantro; and a splash of lemon juice take only minutes to make. For a spicy pesto spread, blend basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil and walnuts together, then use the spread soon after making it. Top pesto appetizers with thin tomato slices.

Quiche Bites and Frittata Squares

• Eggs and herbs have a natural affinity, with the herbs providing hints of bitterness to cut the richness of the eggs. Look for phyllo cups or puff pastry dough in the frozen foods section of the grocery for quiche crusts, or make a crustless frittata and cut it into small, bite-sized pieces. Cook lots of herbs with the appetizers, and use herbs for garnish on top of each piece. Herbs that work well with eggs include chervil, chives, dill, parsley, sorrel, tarragon and thyme.

Mini Tarts and Turnovers

• Small pastry shells and commercial dough for mini baked turnovers are the starting point for elegant appetizers that are also fairly easy to make. In the summer, pair goat cheese and zucchini tarts with chives, dill, marjoram, oregano or parsley. In the winter, make tarts with winter squash, such as butternut or kabocha, and add chervil, chives, marjoram, rosemary, sage or thyme.

Choose Healthy Vegetables

• Any vegetable with a flat surface, a cavity to fill or a sturdy surface for dipping is ideal as an appetizer. With a tray of vegetables, serve an herbed dip, such as one with yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk, chives, dill, thyme and parsley. Use crisp cucumber slices with a dollop of mascarpone cheese and a generous garnish of dill or chives. Or bake crispy potato slices coated with herb-infused oil, and garnish the finished potatoes with chopped herbs.