To create deliciously decadent appetizers you don't have to be a good cook - or cook at all! Haute hostesses know that the easiest way to design a chic spread without trashing the morning's manicure is to repackage store-bought stuff or throw together a few ingredients in stylish ways.

1.Sexy shrimp cocktail: Put a fresh spin on the elegant and easy classic by layering avocado cubes, cooked bay shrimp, shredded iceberg lettuce, and cocktail sauce in a fluted glass or martini glass. Add a lemon wedge to the rim of the glass and serve with a spoon.

2.A date with dates:For a match made in heaven, pair the sweet, caramel-like flavors of fresh Medjool dates (available at your local grocer) with the salty character of Parmesan cheese. Just cut a slit into the date, add a generous protruding sliver of cheese, sprinkle with minced parsley for visual flair, and present on a decorative platter.

3.Belgian endaive bites: Elegance is yours if you fan Belgian endive leaves on a platter, fill the base of each one with a tablespoon of crumbled blue cheese, toasted walnut pieces, and a drizzle of honey, and serve with a smile.

4.A sausage sensation:Okay. So you'll have to reheat the sausages. But that's minimal effort for maximum return. Cut them into bite-size pieces, stack them high on a platter, add a side of toothpicks, and offer an array of dips in pretty bowls-think catsup, various mustards, barbecue sauce, and maple syrup. Add little cards identifying each dip and you're instantly divine.

5.Soup-ear!:Show your entertaining prowess by offering one of the most elegant edibles of all: a sultry, silky soup. Just grab readymade butternut-squash soup¡ªor any other favorite creamy-style flavor¡ªheat and ladle it into mugs, and top with glamorizing garnishes such as a dollop of sour cream, bacon bits, diced green apple, or minced parsley. Now how easy was that?