Sinfully Simple

• You don’t need to go crazy with ingredients to turn roasted bell peppers into a tasty appetizer. Serve pepper slices with ranch salad dressing for a creamy starter, or try them with Italian vinaigrette for an appetizer with zip. Sprinkle the roasted pepper slices with shredded pepper jack cheese for a spicy kick or with cheddar cheese. Mix pureed peppers with tomato sauce and serve it with breadsticks for an Italian-style starter.

Surprisingly Sweet

• Roasted bell peppers have a natural sweetness that blends well with other sweet ingredients. Toss diced peppers with mango salsa and serve with white corn chips for a sweet appetizer with a tropical taste. Mix the diced bell peppers with cream cheese and serve it smeared on mini bagels for creamy hors d’oeuvres with a subtle sweet flavor. Cut the peppers into squares and spear them onto toothpicks with pineapple cubes for mini shish kebabs with a hint of smoky flavor. Wrap the minced peppers, teriyaki chicken and water chestnuts in cabbage leaves to make Asian-style mini cabbage rolls.

Sensationally Spicy

• Mild or hot, the right spices add a new level of flavor to roasted bell pepper appetizers. Mix boiled egg yolks with diced bell peppers, spicy brown mustard, red onions and mayonnaise to create deviled eggs with a hint of bite. Mix diced bell peppers, ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, sweet paprika, white pepper and black pepper for mini meatball appetizers with a peppery flavor. Fold chopped peppers, onions, spicy sausage, chipotle salsa and cheddar cheese in tortillas for mini quesadilla hors d’oeuvres with a fiery kick.

Spectacularly Savory

• Savory hors d’oeuvres tend to include many rich flavors mixed into a single appetizer. Roast baby bell peppers and stuff them with herb cream cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions for a flavorful starter. Puree the peppers and mix them into hummus -- which is a mashed chickpea, sesame oil or paste, and lemon juice mixture – and serve with pita chips to create a starter with a rich yet mellow taste. Lightly fry mini patties made with diced peppers, shredded crab, green onions, egg and seasoned breadcrumbs for savory crab cakes. Serve the cakes with aioli, a garlicky mayonnaise, for a traditional touch.