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Coat seared ground pork in a Thai-inspired glaze, then scatter over fried wonton wrappers, and pile on the nacho treatment with two kinds of cheese, pickled jalapeños, and a shredded cabbage and cilantro salad.

The effort-to-impressiveness ratio doesn’t get much better than this, people. Go ahead and double (Triple! Quadruple!) this recipe and you’ve got hostess gifts, emergency entertaining fodder, and quick, decadent snacks for days.

Black pepper with fruit? It works—trust us.

Who knew so much bright, lively, acidic flavor could come from such a small surface area?

At Parachute in Chicago, this bacon-studded, potato-filled, cheesy sesame bread is served in 6" cast-iron pans; we adapted it to work in a 10".

Baking citrus at a high heat caramelizes the sugars and adds depth. It’s just the thing to bring intrigue to salads.

Steaming is back! The vinegar-and-spice-infused liquid flavors the beets as they cook.

Weekday pancakes sound like a stretch? Make the batter Sunday evening and start the week strong.

After making this soup, you'll have plenty of beets left over for tossing into salads at lunch.

When you get right down to it, very few people actually really and truly want a green bean casserole. Lacy fried green beans with an addictive shallot dip? That’s another story, and a great way to use up any leftover beans.

Look for celery root that is firm—not spongy—at the bottom end.

Kachka chef Bonnie Morales insists it’s not a Russian party without this retro seafood salad on the table.

These taste great at room temperature, so cook this blini recipe (using two skillets at a time!) an hour ahead.

Save the hard-boiled egg yolks for your caviar accoutrements.

Purists will tell you this just gets better with time, so prepare it in advance of your party.

This method works well with other fish. Substitute salmon or fresh trout for the char if you like.

Spaghetti squash varies greatly in terms of wetness. You’ll really want to squeeze out as much liquid as possible so your fritters fry up crisp, not soggy.

This savory mixture lands somewhere between dip and spread but it's dead on delicious. Like a holiday cheeseball...minus the cheese.

We thought mashed potatoes' stock plummeted on Day 2—until we had these croquettes. Crispy yet creamy, potatoes might be better as leftovers.

Vibrant greens, handfuls of fresh herbs, nuts for crunch, and horseradish for bite. Ingredients are suggestions; feel free to mix it up.

A silky, subtly sweet little number that makes fall vegetables feel downright swanky.

The keys to achieving razor-edged triangles: Let the sandwiches cool slightly, then slice with a serrated knife.