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Appetizer Nights
I flip through my cookbooks at least twice a week. Right now, I’m writing this during our year abroad, and honestly? That’s one of the top things I miss. Back home, I loved grabbing a Saturday coffee (or a pop the night before) and sitting down to plan out our meals for the week. I was living my best life in Denver 2022–2025, cooking up a storm.
We didn’t eat out much, Denver food just isn’t that good, honestly. There are a few gems, but nothing compares to Chicago. So instead, I worked my way through my cookbooks, making elaborate and delicious meals. The more I cooked, though, the more I kept asking myself: what about the appetizer chapters?
I love appetizers, but let’s be real, I’m not whipping up bruschetta and roasted peppers on a random Tuesday night for just us. So I decided to start “appetizer nights” once a month. Each month, I’d pick a theme and make a spread of small bites. Italian night, Middle Eastern night, Mediterranean night… I only managed three before I kept forgetting (oops), but the ones I did were absolutely worth it. If you’re looking for a fun Friday or Saturday dinner idea, I can’t recommend this enough. Just two people? Even better, I always make way too much, so it doubles as dinner.
A Truce with Italian Food
Funny enough, this whole Italian night thing started with the very first Italian cookbook I ever bought. Which is ironic, because Italian food is actually pretty low on my list. I’ll eat basically anything else before I say, “Let’s go for Italian.”
I know, I know, cue the horrified faces. But here’s the thing: I realized in 2023 that I don’t dislike Italian food. I just dislike the ungodly obsession people have with it. American-Italian especially. Once I accepted it would never be my favorite, I dropped the fight and started enjoying it for what it is.
I grew up with my mom making Italian food weekly for our family of six (aka six garbage disposals). It makes sense, Italian is easy, comforting, and feeds a crowd. But I’ve always been drawn to intense flavors: spices, heat, zing. You’re not going to find sumac, cumin, or za’atar in most Italian recipes. Italian is about quality, herbs, and letting ingredients shine. Nothing wrong with that, but nothing about me is simple. Still, once I made peace with it, I dove in.
The Menu
I love setting the scene for food nights, so of course I made a printed menu. Adobe Express is my go-to, the templates and typography make it feel official.
Beverages – Campari Spritz
We started with Campari Spritzes. Listen. I know Aperol Spritz gets all the fame, but Campari is basically its sibling, and we already had a bottle.
It was disgusting.
I’m sorry, but I judge anyone who enjoys Aperol or Campari Spritz. They taste like cough syrup in fancy glassware. Wyatt and I both hate them, so honestly I don’t know why I made them other than “we had the ingredients.” They went straight down the drain.
One thing I’ve learned in my 20s: you don’t have to drink something just because it’s there. And don’t come at me with, “You just made it wrong” or “You have to try it in Italy.” I had one in Florence. Still trash. I tried one on a beach in Greece. Trash.
Anyway, other than the drink fiasco, the night was divine.
Appetizers
Earlier in the day, I made my way to a local Italian market in Lakewood, Colorado, Carmine Lonardo’s Italian, to grab supplies. The place was exactly what I was looking for. I stocked up on prosciutto, bresaola, and whatever else caught my eye, plus some biscotti I couldn’t resist. The staff was so friendly, and the quality was fantastic. I’ve heard their sandwiches are amazing too, though I didn’t grab one this time. Highly recommend if you’re ever in Denver.
Tomato Bruschetta
The absolute star of the show. Wyatt was obsessed, he actually said I should can these and sell them, it was that good. The recipe called for vine tomatoes (yep, pricier, but worth it) and here’s the game-changer: cut each tomato in half and scoop out the seeds/liquid. It takes extra time, but trust me, it keeps the bruschetta from turning into tomato soup. Instead, the flavors came from the tomatoes themselves, the olive oil, and capers. Fresh basil tied it all together. It was bright, fresh, and absolutely addictive.
Recipe for Bruschetta
Makes: 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds tomatoes on the vine (must be on the vine! Bonus points if it’s tomato season)
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½–2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained, and roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled (I just smash them with the side of a knife—no need to mince)
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian oregano
- 4+ fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced (add as much as you like—I never go light on basil!)
- Kosher salt, to taste
For the Charred Bread
- Rustic Italian bread or French baguette, sliced ½ inch thick (fresh is best)
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
- Extra-virgin olive oil (the good stuff), as needed (see Note)
- Kosher salt, to taste
Directions
- Halve the tomatoes, squeeze out and discard the seeds of all the tomatoes (yes, it feels wrong, but it keeps the topping from getting watery). Dice the tomatoes, small or chunky, your call, and transfer to a medium shallow bowl.
- Add olive oil, capers, smashed garlic, oregano, basil, and a good pinch of salt. Stir to combine and let sit while you prep the bread.
- For the bread: Rub both sides of each slice with the cut side of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.
- Place the slices under the broiler and toast until golden and lightly charred, about 3 minutes per side. Keep a close eye so they don’t burn.
- Pile the tomato mixture generously on top of the toasted bread. Serve immediately.
Notes: Taste as you go and adjust the flavors to your liking, more basil, extra capers, a little more salt. Make it yours.
Marinated Roasted Peppers
Roasted peppers are one of my love languages. If I see them in a sandwich, I already know it’s going to be good. They’re also stupidly easy to make at home. Roast, peel, marinate with olive oil, garlic, vinegar and herbs. That’s it. I piled them on Italian bread and could’ve made a whole meal out of just this.
Prosciutto, Figs & Melon
Now this, this is my jam. I first had it in Florence on our honeymoon, but I’ve loved it long before that. Perfectly ripe, syrupy melon paired with salty prosciutto? Dream combo. But let me be clear: don’t just grab the pre-packaged stuff at Costco. Ask for prosciutto that’s been aged for a couple of months, with complex flavors, it makes all the difference. The figs were a little side indulgence (dried Turkish, my favorite). Wyatt won’t eat them, which just means more for me. Pro tip: it looks pretty when plated, but I always end up cutting it into bite-sized pieces with a fork and knife.
Whipped Ricotta with Honey & Pistachio
This one blew my mind. Ricotta, olive oil, honey, pistachios, nothing shocking there. But the creaminess of the ricotta sweetened by honey? A match made in heaven. I could honestly eat this dip all the time. It’s rich, but I’d still rather have this during Sunday football than a tub of Dean’s French Onion dip that leaves me breaking out and clutching my stomach afterward. (Don’t get me wrong, I love Dean’s, the backbone of America.) I served the ricotta with Italian bread, potato chips (the salty crunch with the sweet ricotta was genius), and even threw in some mortadella, because why not.
Bresaola with Arugula & Parmigiano
Last but not least, paper-thin Bresaola topped with arugula, shaved parm, olive oil, and lemon. I grew up loving salami, but these days give me Bresaola any time, it’s deeper, richer, more complex. And parm? Always a moment. My siblings and I used to attack the mountain of cheese my mom grated at dinner, it was never safe. This dish was simple, but that’s the beauty of Italian food when you use quality ingredients.
Dessert – Migliaccio Napoletano
We ended the night with Migliaccio Napoletano, a ricotta cake that was simple but absolutely divine, light, moist, and topped with sugared strawberries. As a vanilla dessert lover (give me fruit, sprinkles, toffee, and vanilla over chocolate or peanut butter any day), this was right up my alley.
I’ve also discovered I love almost any dessert that involves cheese. It adds a more complex flavor profile and keeps everything wonderfully moist. Let’s not get too wild, though, you won’t catch me reaching for mac and cheese ice cream anytime soon.
Conclusion
This night was such a fun date night in, we had delicious food, played Italian music, searched travel videos, and talked about the different dishes we were enjoying. I can’t recommend these appetizer nights enough. They can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like, but either way, it’s a fantastic way to try new flavors and enjoy good company.
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