The Pioneer Woman's Best Appetizers for Any Occasion

Whether you're hosting, bringing a dish to a gathering or just plain hungry, The Pioneer Woman's Ree Drummond has your appetizer needs covered. The author, photographer, ranch wife, mother of four and Food Network host knows how to cook for a crowd — and her signature style is on full display in these down-to-earth starters.

Classic buttery Pigs in Blankets are always a welcome sight on an appetizer table, but swirled in Ree's sweet and tangy cranberry mustard, they become a savory bite worthy of a pile on your plate.

Cheese hoarders rejoice, your day has come! Also known as fromage fort, this ever-changing dip is made up of the little bits of cheese you can't bring yourself to throw away.

A bright and briny remoulade sauce accompanies these quick cakes. Ready in under 30 minutes, they're a perfect way to turn a simple salad into a weeknight meal.

Crescent roll dough can do no wrong, and it shines here in a centerpiece-worthy baked Brie.

We've had seven layers, yes, but what about an eighth layer? With crumbly cotija and smoky bacon, it'll be hard to say no to your party.

Silky smooth and salty peanut sauce means that these skewers won't stick around for long.

Fresh corn, smoky chorizo and plenty of chiles turn a classic cheese dip into "What if we just had this for dinner?" territory.

If you're not partial to animal-based proteins, Ree's got your back with this vegetarian-safe, savory corn dip.

Ree skips tortilla chips and uses golden-brown tots as the base of her cheesy nachos.

"Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you'd like," Ree notes about prepping her cumin-scented salsa. "I do about 10 to 15 pulses."

Named after the abundance of rich ingredients, Ree's take on this department store classic dip brings in blue cheese and doesn't back away from bacon.

A quick dredge and a shallow fry are all you need to elevate jarred olives from ordinary to extraordinary.

Classic sandwich pinwheels are more than just a sliced sandwich appetizer. With Ree's chipotle mayo dip, they'll be the main course!

Any good comfort food recipe has ketchup in it — and these spicy-sweet comfort food meatballs are no exception.

Jalapeño heat and chipotle smoke bring the fire to this kicked-up guac.

Parsley, sage, rosemary and … Brie! Ree's savory bake gets topped with toasted pine nuts and caramelized onions.

Hot honey is here to stay, and these crispy baked wings take the heat high with Louisiana hot sauce, jalapeño and serrano chili peppers.

For a bit of texture in her top-rated deviled eggs, Ree adds chopped pickles to the egg yolk filling made with mustard and mayonnaise.

Have you ever seen a prettier platter of veggies?! Ree roasts a mix of carrots, parsnips and red onions to get crave-worthy caramelized edges and pairs them with a light but creamy herb mixture for dipping.

Crunchy pomegranate seeds, a sweet honey drizzle and prepared crescent dough are all you need for these petite treats.

Wait, there's another kind of pizza roll? These strombolli-esque pinwheels are painted with pesto and Parm before they're sliced and served with a hearty marinara sauce.

Toss the soup mix packet. Instead, opt for this rich and creamy ricotta and caramelized onion dip.

Let your grocer's freezer do the hard work and pick up frozen puff pastry to make these savory sausage-stuffed rolls.

Ree's irresistible Green Chili Queso adds green chile enchilada sauce and chipotles in adobo for a smoky, spicy and altogether cheesy King of Dips.

Five ingredients are all you need for these quick and simple cheese straws. Since they're piped into shape before baking, you can make them into any shape you want for kids … and, let's face it, grown-ups too.

The hardest thing about making pimento cheese is making enough. Ree's recipe clocks in at just over 3 pounds when finished, which should last anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes once your guests start showing up.

We're throwing a party just to devour a big bowl of this classic snack mix. Ree takes it the savory way with seasoned salt, garlic and zip from hot sauce.

There are classics, and there are classics. Ree brings the heat to potluck legend grape jelly meatballs with the addition of pickled jalapeños and barbecue sauce.

Yes, toss your grapes in a quick balsamic vinaigrette and roast them. Served warm over creamy whipped feta on toast, it's a great savory spread any time of day — even for breakfast.

You don't need an excuse to make this bread. Just a love for melty cheese, savory roasted garlic and salty butter.

Dry white wine, spicy pork sausage and cream cheese turn boring button mushrooms into rich and savory low-carb bites.

Goodbye breadcrumbs, hello garlic and herb pita chips! Ree blitzes savory chips into a fine crumb and breads mozzarella for a crisp and savory switch-up.

Ready to eat in a hurry, these saucy bites are tossed in a homemade hot sauce, made rich and bold with the addition of creamy butter and tangy Worcestershire. Ree rounds out the wings with cool blue cheese sauce and crunchy celery to balance the heat of the dish.

Garlicky basil pesto brightens up Ree's take on the classic olive spread.

Ree transforms traditional Italian salad by skewering juicy cherry tomatoes and bite-sized mozzarella balls onto rosemary sprigs for a striking presentation. To finish, it's all about that sweet, tangy sauce. The key is reducing the pureed plum-vinegar mixture until it's thick and syrupy.

Fluffy, crispy, buttery, puffy garlic bread. Do we need to say more?

Quintessential for crackers and a clutch crustini topping, Ree's Cowboy Caviar can be made up to four days ahead … not that it'll last that long in your fridge.

We are big baked potato fans, and nothing sounds more perfect for a rainy day than an assembly line of all our favorite toppings.

It's all about assembly when prepping this 10-minute starter. Just stack your favorite store-bought spinach tortellini, fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes on skewers, and finish them with bright pesto.

You can fill these calzone-like bread bombs with your favorite fillings, but Ree opts for creamy fontina, shredded chicken and Italian-spiced artichokes.

Ree keeps it simple and classic in her top-rated bruschetta, adorning each piece of garlic-laced toast with juicy grape tomatoes and fragrant basil.

Nutty Manchego and orange zest take beautiful, briny olives from the jar to the spotlight.

Thanks to store-bought wonton wrappers, these bean-and-cheese cups come together in only a half hour.

It takes only three ingredients — jalapeños, cream cheese and bacon — to make Ree's five-star finger food.

Make and freeze these egg bites on a lazy weekend, then save them for a busy morning when you need a quick breakfast. They warm up in just a minute in the microwave.

Creamy on the inside with a golden, crispy fried wonton exterior, these cream cheese-stuffed bites are best served with a sweet, tangy, honey-soy sauce mixture laced with Sriracha.

Herbed cream cheese makes these three-ingredient roll-ups the simplest and fastest app around. Assemble and chill for up to three hours before serving for even less hassle.

No longer just for dinner with saucy spaghetti, Ree's two-bite meatballs, simmered in a tomato-garlic sauce, are ready for the appetizer table; she recommends serving them with toothpicks so guests can help themselves.

Featuring chewy sweet dates, crunchy salted roasted almonds and a blanket of crispy bacon, these fast-fix bites are easy to prep and eat.