It's possible to cook for a party -- or last-miute guests -- without spending all day prepping your food. These low-maintenance yet decadent appetizers can be prepped the day before, so you'll just have a few last-minute additions, and voila, ready to go! These appetizers speak for themselves, and believe it; the conversation won't lag.

Garlic Toasts with Red Pepper Aioli

(Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis' TV show, "Everyday Italian")

Cook Time: 5 min | Easy | Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 12 slices ciabatta bread, 1/2-inch thick slices
• 1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers, drained and patted dry
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

The aioli can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator. To make the aioli, first finely chop 2 cloves of the garlic in a food processor. Next, add the peppers and blend until almost smooth. Next, add the mayonnaise and blend again. Once that is done, keep the machine running and pour in 2 Tbsp of the olive oil, blending as you go. Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.

The day of the gathering, make the garlic bread. First, preheat the oven to 400° F. Drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil over the bread slices. Next, transfer the bread slices to a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slide the baking sheet into the oven for 5 minutes.

When the toast is golden brown, remove from the oven and immediately rub the remaining 2 garlic cloves over the hot bread slices. To serve, spoon the aioli onto the toasts. Since you are serving these at a party, it would be a good idea to leave enough space around the edges of the toasts so that people can comfortably grasp them without getting aioli on their fingers.

Savory Herb-Stuffed Mushrooms

(Adapted from "Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee" from the Food Network)

Cook time: 35 min | Easy | 24 appetizers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. or 24 medium mushrooms
• 6 Tbsp. reduced-fat stick margarine
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1-3 oz. package of low-fat cream cheese, softened
• 3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves or 2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
• 1 cup packaged herb-seasoned stuffing croutons

To make ahead of time, prepare as directed below and then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. First, remove the stems from the mushrooms. Chop up enough stems to make 1 cup. Next, melt 2 tbsp of margarine in a saucepan. Brush the mushroom caps with the melted margarine and place top side down in a shallow baking pan. Brush the underside of the caps.

Heat up the rest of the margarine in the same saucepan you just used. It will heat up fairly quickly, so be sure to add the chopped mushroom stems, onion and garlic before the margarine browns. Next, stir in the cream cheese, using a fork to break up the large lumps if necessary.

Add the Parmesan cheese, parsley, and herb-seasoned stuffing. Mix thoroughly. Spoon about 1 tbsp of the stuffing mixture into each mushroom cap. Cover and refrigerate. The day of the party, preheat the oven to 425° F and then bake until heated through.

All of these recipes are easy, but you can make it even easier on yourself by giving them a test run prior to your party. Maybe one of your condiments has turned or you never got your serving platter back from a friend. Any unforeseen snags should be worked out before the big day.

Laying out the dishes you plan on using before the party is a great idea. You can even set the table if you can keep your husband/kids/dogs/cats off of it.

Mini Moroccan Lamb Burgers on Brioche Rounds with Lemon Yogurt Sauce

(Adapted from Dave Lieberman's recipe featured on "Good Deal with Dave Lieberman")

21 min | Easy | Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 pint plain Greek-style yogurt, full-fat
• 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 loaf brioche bread
• 2 lbs. ground lamb, shoulder meat
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 small head red leaf lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into small pieces
• 4 ripe plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4 - inch thick rounds
• Kosher salt
• About 20 grinds fresh black pepper

You can make the yogurt sauce and brioche buns ahead of time. Seal them up in airtight containers for up to 24 hours before you need them. First, make the sauce. Grab a medium mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt and lemon zest and juice. Season to taste with a couple pinches of salt. Cover and refrigerate.

To make the buns, cut the brioche into about 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick slices and then use a small glass to cut out as many circles as you can. Put the buns into an airtight container so that they keep their moisture until the next day.

Now, the day of the party you need to get to grilling. First, preheat the grill. Then, combine the lamb, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, 1 tsp salt, 20 grinds of fresh black pepper, and the 2 cloves of pressed garlic all together in a mixing bowl and work together.

Next, take a small ice cream scooper and scoop the mixture into little balls (1-1 1/2 inches large) and place on a parchment-lined baking pan. Flatten the burgers to 1/2-inch thickness and a couple inches in diameter. The grill should be hot, so lay the burgers down and cook about 2-3 minutes per side, or until fully cooked through. The cook time will vary depending upon your grill.

When finished, place the mini burgers on top of the cut brioche. Add a little piece of lettuce and small tomato slice. Top off with a dollop of the lemon yogurt sauce and serve.

As you can see, delicious and decadent appetizers don't have to take hours to prepare to get a fantastic result. Plus, by making most of your components ahead of time you may actually get to enjoy your gathering by spending time with your guests instead of being stuck in the kitchen.