Snack

The recipe for these tender, rich cookies came from a cook who worked for my great-grandmother. They were always a family favorite. Decorate them with sanding sugar or nonpareils.

Loaded with dried fruit, toasted almonds, and bittersweet chocolate, these blondies combine the best of a brownie with what you wish fruitcake could taste like. A terrific addition to any holiday cookie platter, they are also a satisfying stand-alone dessert.

This would be a crowd-pleasing addition to breakfast or brunch. The iced tea powder adds an intriguing background flavor.

The puffs can be formed and chilled or frozen on baking sheets well ahead of time, then simply popped into the oven.

These golden-brown cookies sprinkled with flaky sea salt contrast nicely with the sweetness of the glaze on the blancmange .

As great as the original, but with a lot of crunch, too.

This light starter can be prepared ahead of time and is a smart alternative to fussy holiday hors d'oeuvres. It has an unbelievably fresh flavor, even when made with frozen soybeans.

If you can't get Nantucket bay scallops, you can use other bay scallops or sea scallops (cut lengthwise into thirds).

This recipe isn't easy, but if you're looking for the wow factor, here it is. Coming at the end of the meal, the dish reprises the flavor of the stuffed dates because each bite packs enormous punch as the sweet, savory, and acidic flavors come rushing forward.

These tangy Cheddar crisps puff slightly while they bake, making them a versatile base for hors d'oeuvres.

Crudités and toasted pita triangles are good dippers for this Greek mezede.

Lapsang souchong tea imparts a subtle smokiness to these nuts; though you may not detect it immediately, the smoky flavor will set in as you eat more.

Unlike the sweet animal crackers in the familiar circus box, these boast a savory cheese flavor. They're a nice accompaniment to the chicken soup with rice.

In this elegant introduction to dinner, oysters are paired with Champagne grapes, whose sweet juice balances the sharpness of the vinegar in the mignonnette.

This is a classic recipe for a Midwest favorite. For a flavorful filling, it's important to use sour (or tart) cherries, rather than sweet.

Use any combination of ripe melons that you can find. Charentais (or Cavaillon), delicious French melons with orange flesh, are at farmers' markets now, while Galia (sweet and aromatic, similar to honeydew) and Sharlyn (a white-fleshed variety that tastes like a combination of honeydew and cantaloupe) are increasingly available at supermarkets.

Spear fruit with skewers and dip it into the butterscotch, then dip into the nuts and crème fraîche.