Bon Appétit

Luscious and satisfying—a little goes a long way. Make the gratin up to one day ahead. Before serving, cut it into pieces and rewarm in the oven.

Vin Santo is an Italian dessert wine. If you can't find it, use sweet Marsala.

When it comes to gingerbread, I almost always find that the allspice and cloves overpower the ginger flavor. To remedy that imbalance, I created a cookie with a double dose of ginger (ground and crystallized) and a little bit of cinnamon. And although the traditional cut for gingerbread is fat, sturdy men, I thought the lightness of angel wings seemed more appropriate for these delicate cookies.

The pork needs time to cook and chill, so be sure to begin this recipe at least one day ahead. Put out a platter of cornbread (homemade or purchased) along with the posole.

Armagnac adds a festive and slightly boozy flavor.

Meet the latke's larger, Swiss cousin: the Rösti. This recipe makes two giant potato cakes; if you want to serve them at the same time, you’ll need to use two skillets (heavy ones produce the crispest results).

When I told my friend (and fellow southern cookbook author) James Villas that I was making almond tassies, he had a fit. "There is no such thing," he said. It’s true that tassies (miniature tartlets) are traditionally made with pecans. But I happen to have history on my side. Almonds have been imported into the South since colonial times, and they were once as commonplace in holiday baking as pecans are today. I’m not sure that will convince James to make these, but trust me—they’re absolutely delicious.

Here's the perfect ending to the feast: a light, bright dessert of oranges, dates, and cinnamon.

An impressive roast. Irish whiskey adds complexity to the gravy, which was inspired by steak au poivre. Plan to make and chill the stuffing one day ahead. There will be only a small amount of stuffing for each person, but it's so rich and flavorful that you won't need more.

Flan is amped up with holiday spices and a crispy cookie crust.

Instead of breadcrumbs, this mac and cheese is topped with rich, pungent caramelized shallots and creamy, crumbled goat cheese.

To complete the dessert buffet, bake a batch of Mexican wedding cakes (butter cookies rolled in powdered sugar).

his upscale take on pimiento cheese is smoky and sweet, thanks to paprika and piquillos.

Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice mix that includes sesame seeds, sumac, dried thyme, and dried marjoram. It’s available at specialty foods stores and Middle Eastern markets and from adrianascaravan.com.

Inspired by Brazil’s national cocktail.

Simple and beautiful. If you can’t find small carrots, use medium ones, halved and cut into five-inch pieces.

This recipe doubles easily: Shape the extra hash browns into smaller cakes. Bake as directed, checking for doneness a bit sooner than indicated, and cool on the sheet. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm in the oven, then top with crème fraîche and smoked salmon or caviar for appetizers in the evening.