Start the year off right with a laid-back party where friends and family can drop in throughout the afternoon. Chose from these snack, hearty main, and cookie recipes. All will stand up to all-day grazing and the quantities are easily multiplied, so you have something delicious to offer all comers.
Aromatic herbs and a pinch of spicy red-pepper flakes enliven the subtle, creamy flavor of fresh mozzarella. Pair it with your favorite salami, olives, and crackers.
A little hair of the dog won’t go amiss on New Year’s Day. Keep a pitcher or two of Bloody Mary mix at the ready and let guests stir up their own on an as-needed basis.
No cold-weather get-together would be complete without this warm, spicy classic, laced with maple syrup. Keep a potful simmering on the back of the stove throughout the day to welcome guests -- and to perfume the house.
Combine the glamour and gorgeousness of a long-simmering beef-and-red-wine stew and the old-school practicality of a from-scratch soup made largely with pantry and fridge basics, and serve it with herbed egg noodles and horseradish-chive bread for the ultimate in sophisticated comfort food.
The perfect companion to a mug of chili or a bowl of stew, this cornbread strikes the right balance between tender and crumbly. Jazz up the batter by trying flavor combinations such as bacon-scallion cornbread, cheddar-jalapeno cornbread, or herbed cornbread, or shake up the shape by baking it in muffin pans.
Pulled pork is a slow-cooker staple, and this version gets a tangy contrast with quick-pickled red cabbage. Keep the meat warm in the pot and let everyone assemble their own sandwiches on demand.
Not your everyday side salad, this one marries raw kale with roasted butternut squash and shallots, toasted hazelnuts, and aged goat cheese shavings. Go ahead and dress it in advance: Kale is robust enough to stay perky for the long haul.
Mix and match your favorite flavors of fruit preserves in these easy bake-and-slice almond cookies. The dough can even be made a week ahead of time and frozen.
