New Year’s Day Open-House Party

Start the year off right with a laid-back party where friends and family can drop in throughout the afternoon. These snacks, hearty mains, and sweets 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.

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.