Smoked salmon dip, steak sandwiches: this party fare is at the top of the class.

You can double or triple this pasta recipe to feed a crowd.

This salad holds up well when dressed, making it ideal for a party.

Flank steak can be served either warm or at room temperature, so it will still taste great if guests come back for seconds.

If you'll be serving burgers, we suggest offering guests at least two varieties: An herbed turkey patty and a classic version made with grass-fed beef.

Add sliced zucchini, salt and pepper, and Parmesan shavings to toasted bread for a savory party appetizer.

Because it can be served at room temperature, this frittata is perfect for a drawn-out graduation brunch.

With green lentils anchoring a medley of tangy goat cheese and peppery arugula, this nicely textured salad is both light and filling.

Offer maple-spiced kettle corn to guests in decorated paper bags for a salty-sweet snack.

Serve this savory potato salad side with broiled fish fillets at your graduation bash.

Filled with avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and beans, this fresh dip will quickly become a party favorite.

This refreshing, mint-topped cooler brings together fresh watermelon and tangy ginger ale.

For a classic appetizer that pleases kids and adults alike, try these pigs in a blanket made with puff pastry dough.

Wrap a hot dog with dough, and adhere seam with beaten egg. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Brush with egg. Slice into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a baking sheet, and bake at 400 degrees until golden, about 15 minutes. Serve with mustard. 

Delight guests with a perfectly seared beef tenderloin at your outdoor bash.

Hold guests over until the main course with this irresistible snack at your graduation celebration.

An unexpected -- and slightly sweeter -- take on lemonade, this drink is great on its own or mixed into cocktails.

Grill chiles and an assortment of peppers with oil and salt for a tasty vegetable side dish.

Combine cereal, pretzels, crackers, and peanuts with a Worcestershire-butter sauce for an addictive party snack.

Topped with basil, tomatoes, and olive oil, this fresh-off-the-grill steak sandwich will be the main attraction of your party. (After the graduate, of course.)

Robiola Bosina -- a soft blend of cow's- and sheep's-milk cheese -- is the perfect base for a topping of olive-raisin relish in this party pleaser.

Start your graduation brunch off with this fresh, delicate fish topped with a sweet mustard sauce. 

Deviled eggs never seem to go out of style. Ours are made with celery, spicy brown mustard, and Old Bay Seasoning.

Topped with mint-chive butter, this outstanding grilled fish is an extra-special dish for your graduation party.

We added a twist to this classic warm-weather cocktail (made with Pimm's, a fruity and spicy gin-based liqueur): By mixing in ginger ale, we mellowed the flavor and made it pleasantly fizzy.

Spoon sliced roasted red peppers, pitted Kalamata olives, drained and rinsed capers, and thinly sliced garlic onto grilled bread for a seasonal appetizer.

Guests at your graduation brunch will love this tangy cocktail, which borrows ingredients from two drinks -- a Bloody Mary and a screwdriver.

Start the party off with fresh watermelon cubes topped with ricotta salata and mint leaves.

These colorful cows -- made with simple blueberry, strawberry, or mint syrups -- are lighter and brighter than the classic soda-fountain drink, but just as delicious.

Serve this refreshing appetizer along the rim of an ice-filled bowl (or on a platter) accompanied by lemon slices and cocktail sauce or lemon aioli.

Spice up grilled chicken with a colorful relish that is cool, crisp, juicy, and has a touch of heat. Finish the seasonal dish with fresh mint leaves for an herbal fragrance.

White beans add heartiness while chopped zucchini adds crunch to this fresh vegetarian salad.

Make these crowd-pleasing crostini in just 20 minutes.

Pasta salad is a staple at any warm-weather gathering. But our gemelli and ricotta dish -- made with two types of peas and fresh tarragon -- has a sophistication that befits a graduation bash.

Give bruschetta a chocolaty makeover with this simple recipe.

Dress up salmon fillets with a lively passion-fruit vinaigrette.

This light and colorful salad is made with three different varieties of lettuce, each with its own unique texture and flavor.

Spice up the party with this chicken recipe made using Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, both of which are native to the Caribbean and extremely hot.

Serve this elegant bruschetta made with prosciutto, cantaloupe, and aged balsamic vinegar at your graduation cocktail party.

Red onions are sauteed in bacon fat and then simmered with grape tomatoes and white-wine vinegar to form the alluring vinaigrette for this warm spinach salad that your guests will love.

For a salad that hardly requires any time to prepare, try this parsley-flecked whole-grain dish topped with red and gold tomatoes.

Mild cod is wrapped in a luscious blanket of bacon and accompanied by a bold salad of frisee and pink grapefruit. You can use any firm, mild fish in this recipe, such as bass, halibut, or haddock.

Graduation party guests will keep coming back for more of this skewered grilled shrimp paired with a green-tomato relish.

No outdoor gathering is complete without a potato salad. For this seasonal recipe, use Yukon Golds, which create a rich, full-bodied backdrop for ribbons of anise-scented fennel, sweet cipollini onions, and olives.

Blanch vegetables a day ahead and refrigerate in airtight containers before putting them on the grill during your graduation celebration.

Give guests something sweet by topping toasts with ricotta, lemon zest, basil, and honey.

Filled with baby spinach, black beans, tomato, onion, avocado, and shredded chicken, these wraps don't require any cooking. Just buy a rotisserie chicken or substitute leftover meat. 

Saute boneless chicken cutlets with white wine, butter, and herbs for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Add a pop of color to your graduation party with this bright salad, which features yellow and red baby beets and sugar snap peas lightly tossed in vinaigrette.

Combine red onion, red-wine vinegar, capers, olive oil, and salt with poached salmon fillets for this light party dish.

This rustic pasta dish comes together with Swiss chard, pine nuts, Parmesan, and lemon zest.

We guarantee these buttermilk-battered chicken legs and thighs won't last long.

You can prep the components of this pasta salad the day before the party -- just toss together right before serving. The spicy arugula, creamy goat cheese, and a touch of Dijon mustard give the dish plenty of flavor.

This party appetizer softens the sharpness of mint, lamb, and feta with gently cooked leeks and scallions. The flavors meld nicely on a superbly thin, crisp crust.

Lemon juice and herbs put this simple shrimp recipe over the top, making it the ideal appetizer to get the party started.

We used penne rigate pasta for this quick party dish because its ridges catch the pieces of tomato, garlic, and chive.

A beautifully poached piece of salmon, clean tasting and light, is a terrific outdoor party meal. The technique really has only one rule: Don't overcook. The salmon should be cooked ever so gently in barely simmering liquid until the center is just slightly translucent.

Baking prosciutto turns it crisp and crunchy, making it a perfect foil for buttery avocado and a thin slice of sharp cheese.

Saute carrots, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, asparagus, and beans to use as a bed for salmon, or as a side dish with grilled meat.