Get the holiday dinner started with Thanksgiving appetizers that the whole family can gather around. These recipes will keep your friends and guests happy while the dinner is being prepared -- and they won't even notice if it's running late. Included are appetizer favorites such as baked brie, cheese logs, crackers, dips, spiced nuts, and cheese straws.

Roasted butternut or turban squash combines with garlic, scallions, smoky chipotle chiles, cream cheese, and Parmesan for a delicious Thanksgiving dip. For a decorative presentation, serve this appetizer in a hollowed-out winter squash.

These little crackers get a bold bite from aged cheddar cheese and a touch of cayenne pepper. The dough is made like pie crust: Pulse the ingredients in the food processor, then roll it out and cut it.

Serve the crackers with a selection of fall cocktails: The American in Paris (top) adds Continental flair to the Manhattan by replacing the usual sweet vermouth with dry, and adding a splash of creme de cassis.

To make the Cider Smash (top left), simply top bourbon and lemon juice with sparkling apple cider.

The Cranberry Old-Fashioned (bottom) gets its festive hue from muddled fresh cranberries.

Everyone's favorite warm spinach dip just got better, thanks to the addition of bacon and sauteed onions. Bake the dip in a ceramic dish or in a hollowed-out round loaf of bread.

Mignonette -- the traditional vinegar and shallot sauce served with raw oysters -- gets a festive fall accent from fresh ginger and chopped apple. Read our article on how to shuck oysters.

This easy Thanksgiving appetizer begins with a wheel of Brie or Camembert, baked until soft and melting. Toasted pecans and maple syrup combine to make an easy, decorative topping.

Simply toss Tuscan kale with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes to make this light and elegant alternative to potato chips. Sprinkle the kale chips with lemon zest and sea salt just before serving.

A little smoked salmon goes a long way in this easy, sophisticated Thanksgiving appetizer. The salmon is blended with sour cream and a touch of lemon juice, plus unflavored gelatin to give it a silky-smooth consistency.

For a tapas-style holiday appetizer, serve these thyme-seasoned almonds with a wedge of aged sheep or goat cheese, such as manchego. This satisfying nibble will keep guests sated until it's time to sit down to Thanksgiving dinner.

To make these rich little crackers -- whose flavor is reminiscent of cheese straws -- blend sharp cheddar cheese with flour and butter, and roll the dough into a log for easy slicing. Press a pecan into each cracker and brush with egg white for a shiny finish.

Cream cheese and mozzarella make this hot spinach dip extra rich and flavorful. To save time, you may use frozen spinach in place of fresh. This appetizer can be made up to three days ahead of time and simply baked on Thanksgiving day, just before guests arrive.

These cornbread muffins are the perfect Thanksgiving appetizer size when baked in mini muffin tins. They can be made in three different flavor combinations: orange-rosemary, jalapeno-cheddar, or caramelized onion-bacon. This recipe makes three dozen muffins, enough to feed a crowd of hungry holiday guests.

Puree roasted fennel and garlic with Parmesan cheese to make this richly flavored dip. Serve it with toasted rustic bread for dipping.

Slices of prosciutto are baked in mini muffin tins to form crisp, edible cups that are then filled with spoonfuls of juicy diced Bartlett pears. This impressive, easy Thanksgiving appetizer requires only three ingredients.

Fresh thyme and finely grated Gruyere cheese flavor these delicious holiday appetizers from "Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook." You may also enjoy the parmesan-rosemary and blue cheese-pecan variations. These crackers can be made the day before Thanksgiving and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

This cheese log is made with a blend of cream cheese, grated white cheddar, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. The coating of toasted pistachio nuts lends crunch and color to this easy, make-ahead Thanksgiving appetizer.

These easy cheese straw appetizers are made with frozen puff pastry and grated Parmesan cheese. In addition to cheese, you can vary the flavorings with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, or cayenne pepper. The baked and cooled straws will keep at room temperature up to one week.

Combine chopped shrimp with sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, and parsley to make this flavorful seafood dip. Make this Thanksgiving appetizer more budget-friendly and quick by using a bag of small precooked frozen shrimp.

This easy cheese spread is made with cream cheese, crumbled blue cheese (we suggest Stilton, but another variety would work as well), and chopped walnuts. This spread is delicious served with crackers, or apple and pear wedges. Rub the sliced fruit with lemon juice to prevent discoloration. The spread can be made up to one week in advance of your Thanksgiving gathering.

The dough for these piped savory appetizers includes Black Forest ham and Gruyere cheese. The centers are filled with squares of melted Gruyere. Be sure to serve these warm from the oven.

This classic hors d'oeuvre features prunes wrapped with bacon, skewered onto toothpicks, and baked. The tantalizing sweet-and-savory combination will whet the appetites of your Thanksgiving guests.

This flavorful dip is made with sweet sauteed Vidalia onions and lightens up with reduced-fat versions of cream cheese and sour cream. Serve this popular party appetizer with an assortment of colorful vegetable chips.

Butternut squash is cut into leaf shapes, sauteed in butter, and then served over toasted pumpernickel bread on top of a dollop of goat cheese. A perfect start to Thanksgiving dinner, these appetizers embody the colors and flavors of fall.

In this classic Southern Low Country appetizer, boiled shrimp are pickled with lemon juice, olive oil, sliced onions, garlic, bay leaves, and fennel, mustard, celery, and coriander seeds. This recipe should be made a day ahead to allow the flavors of the spices to permeate the shrimp.

Cashews are tossed with lime zest, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes, then roasted. These spicy nuts pair well with Thanksgiving cocktails.

These easy Thanksgiving appetizers offer a mixture of creamy goat cheese, a touch of cream, and fresh dill nestled into crisp leaves of Belgian endive. You can also serve the cheese mixture on celery or with crackers.

Crisp chopped bacon, garlic, and fresh thyme add rich flavor to this mushroom dip, which uses both dried porcini and fresh cremini mushrooms. Serve with freshly fried Waffle Chips for a crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving appetizer.

Walnuts add a crunchy texture to these blue cheese crackers. The dough for this appetizer comes together easily in the food processor and is then formed into a log, sliced, and baked. These appetizers can be made three or four days ahead of the Thanksgiving feast.

Sugar pumpkins and garlic are roasted with rosemary and pureed into a smooth, creamy dip. Served in one of the roasted pumpkins with an assortment of crackers and colorful crudites, this dip will be the crown jewel of the Thanksgiving appetizer table.

This colorful assortment of cheese balls makes easy, attractive Thanksgiving appetizers. Our basic recipe can be made in three variations: cheddar and cranberry; Roquefort and walnut; and goat cheese and scallion. Serve with crudites and crisp crackers.

Thanksgiving guests won't be able to get enough of this luscious hot seafood dip from Emeril Lagasse's book "Emeril's Potluck." The recipe combines lump crab meat with sauteed red bell pepper and onion, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and fresh parsley. The mixture is topped with cracker crumbs and baked in a casserole dish until hot and bubbly.