Recipes That Wow!

Photo: Randy Mayor

Get ready to make an entrance with wow-worthy recipes perfect for entertaining. From fun summer desserts and creative comfort foods to holiday-worthy dishes and festive seasonal sides, we have recipes guaranteed to impress.

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Candied Pancetta Stacks

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Candied Pancetta Stacks

Here's a fresh take on caprese that invites a meaty, umami burst from pancetta. Serve at an appetizer or dessert (think cheese-and-charcuterie board reinvented) at your next summer soiree for a crowd-pleasing treat.

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Roasted Strawberry Margaritas With Aquafaba Whip

Photo: Caitlin Bensel

View Recipe: Roasted Strawberry Margaritas With Aquafaba Whip

Aquafaba, the viscous fluid from canned chickpeas, is the surprising key to making a plant-based whipped topping. The process is pretty miraculous: The liquid whips up to a thick, fluffy foam that mimics whipped cream. Just be sure to use the liquid from unsalted chickpeas for the best results (we like Eden brand).

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Hasselback Apples

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Hasselback Apples

Simple and easy to make ahead—this twist on the apple crumble is unbelievably good. With cinnamon-sugar butter between the layers, a crispy streusel sprinkle, and a dollop of ice cream on top, there’s no doubt this will be a hit with your friends and family.

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Smoky Carrot Dogs With Nacho Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Smoky Carrot Dogs with Nacho Sauce

We've embellished the humble carrot to mimic the smoky taste and snappy texture of a hot dog. To lend a dairy-free cheesy flavor to plant-based nacho sauce, we use nutritional yeast; look for it in health food stores or well-stocked specialty grocers. Our recipe saves 8g saturated fat over standard cheese dogs without losing any of the flavor.

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Jackfruit Tostadas

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Jackfruit Tostadas

Jackfruit is a nutrient-rich, tree-borne fruit that easily shreds to mimic the texture of pulled pork. It's gluten-free and a favorite ingredient for vegetarians. Look for young green jackfruit found canned at Asian supermarkets.

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Grilled Pineapple Lemonade

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Grilled Pineapple Lemonade

This twist on classic lemonade is the divine union of fruity and smoky flavors. Naturally sweet pineapple goes into the drink, allowing us to use less added sugar. We use an indoor grill pan, but if your outdoor grill is already fired up, use it to lend extra smoky depth. Add a boozy spin with a dash of rum or tequila.

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Waffle Iron Hash Browns

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Waffle Iron Hash Browns

For hash browns that are crisp on the outside and buttery on the inside, look no further than your multifaceted waffle iron—this works with both Belgian and traditional waffle irons. Serve as is, or try with Greek yogurt and chives.

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Retro Triple-Layer Parfaits

Photo: Romulo Yanes

View Recipe: Retro Triple-Layer Parfaits

Our take on a popular boxed-gelatin dessert from the 1970s has way more layers of flair.

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Nutty Carrot Flatbread

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Nutty Carrot Flatbread

We were so inspired by the vegetable flatbread made by David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl of greenkitchenstories.com, we decided to create our own hearty, seed- and nut-packed version. The gluten-free slices are perfect for sandwiches. Pop slices into the toaster oven for crispy edges. Or wrap in foil for soft, warm slices.

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Acorn Squash Egg-in-the-Hole

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Acorn Squash Egg-in-the-Hole

Remember that childhood breakfast favorite, a piece of toast with an egg cooked into its cutout center? Well, try this stunning grown-up twist that replaces the bread with baked slices of acorn squash. Mornings are looking sunny-side up!

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Sea Salt and Vinegar Zucchini Chips

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Sea Salt and Vinegar Zucchini Chips

Crunchy and salty, while being slightly addictive, these chip recipes can curb you off the store-bought stuff while exploring the various veggies and seasonings that make the perfect chip. Light, crisp, and just as good as their junk-food counterparts, these zucchini chips are a revelation. Malt vinegar is made from fermented ale and is mildly sweet. If you prefer a sharper flavor, substitute cider vinegar or white vinegar. The best way to get uniform slices? Use a mandoline.

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Hasseltots with Crème Fraîche and Caviar

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Hasseltots with Crème Fraîche and Caviar

This two-bite, no-fork-required appetizer is perfect for parties where guests will be juggling drinks and nibbles. Choose a sustainable, budget-friendly roe. Depending on what kind you choose, it can be affordable or break the bank. Make note of the origin to be sure you aren't buying caviar or roe from endangered fishing areas or species. We suggest Classic American White Sturgeon Caviar ($85/oz.), Paddlefish Caviar ($44/oz.), Salmon Roe ($8/oz.), and Masago ($5/oz.). Store opened caviar on ice, and use within one to two days. In a pinch, sour cream can stand in for the crème fraîche.

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Flavored Finishing Salts

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Porcini Salt

These are no ordinary seasoned salts. Sprinkle on food right before serving to add concentrated flavor and a crunchy, briny taste of the sea. Try our Olive Salt on fresh tomatoes, our Tomato Salt on deviled eggs, and our Porcini Salt on grilled steak.

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Sheet Pan S'mores

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Sheet Pan S'mores

This summertime treat is perfect for a potluck. They are great served at room temperature, but if you want, pop the pan into a warm (250°) oven for 2 minutes just until the chocolate softens for the full gooey experience. For a fruity twist, place thinly sliced bananas over the chocolate layer before adding the meringue.

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Grilled Camembert

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Grilled Camembert

It’s hard to believe there’s anything you can do to make a creamy French cheese any better than it already is, but we found a new way to take it to a new level. As the summer beats on, you can still keep this party starter on the roster—just exchange the cherries for the most seasonal fruit: nectarines, plums, peaches, and blueberries all make a delicious pairings.

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Chamomile-Strawberry-Orange Cold-Brewed Tea

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Chamomile-Strawberry-Orange Cold-Brewed Tea

Fruit adds sweetness to this refreshing drink. If you wish, substitute raspberries for the strawberries, or drop in a sprig of lemon verbena to boost the aromatic citrus.

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Strawberry Gazpacho

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Strawberry Gazpacho

While tomato season is at bay, turn to strawberries to make this refreshing version of the classic Spanish chilled vegetable soup.

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Egg Ravioli

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Egg Ravioli

These gorgeous ravioli come together easily thanks to pot sticker wrappers, which are made with the same ingredients as pasta dough. Just wait till you cut in and taste how good this appetizer is.

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Butternut Squash Queso Fundido

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Butternut Squash Queso Fundido

Butternut squash adds distinct flavor (and color) to this satisfyingly cheesy dip. To make it vegetarian, sub vegetable stock for the chicken stock. If you prefer, you can roast a halved, seeded butternut squash at 350° for 45 minutes or until soft. Scoop 10 ounces of flesh, and use in place of the puree.

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Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls

Guess what? This is a whole-grain dessert. To keep the stickiness at bay, wear latex gloves coated with cooking spray as you shape the popcorn balls.

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The Quickest Holiday Dessert

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Chocolate-Caramel Bark with Quinoa

This season, there's no need to stress or spend hours in the kitchen. Serve this simple sweet treat at your next party or wrap it up beautifully for your friends. The first ingredient in this dark chocolate bark (psst, it’s quinoa) gives this treat loads of crunch. It’s a whole grain, which definitely makes this sweet even sweeter.

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Maple Pumpkin Pie With a Message

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Maple Pumpkin Pie With a Message

To use up the leftover pumpkin, try adding some to a breakfast smoothie, or stir into pancake batter. Or combine with a splash of half-and-half, season with sage, and toss with pasta.

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Grilled Watermelon Pizza

Photo: Greg Dupree

View Recipe: Grilled Watermelon Pizza

Get creative at your next cookout with this handheld take on watermelon salad. This all-star melon creates the perfect base for the bold flavors that are highlighted in the toppings.

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Honey Taffy

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Honey Taffy

Both kids and adults will enjoy stretching the honey into taffy, and the longer you stretch the honey, the easier and more pliable the taffy becomes. To avoid a sticky situation, make sure any surface you set the taffy on is thinly coated with cooking spray. You can also wear latex gloves (coated with canola oil) to make the pulling a little easier.

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Avocado Fries

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Avocado Fries

We thought we had explored every way to enjoy the buttery-rich yumminess of avocados. But then we swooned over a photo of the breaded avocado fries in chef Hans Röckenwagner‘s latest cookbook, Das Cookbook. Inspired by the photo, we created our own lighter version, and the results were even more delicious than we’d imagined: When you coat creamy avocado wedges with a crisp breadcrumb crust, that contrast of textures makes the avocado seem doubly silky-rich.

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Smoked Salmon Bites

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Smoked Salmon Bites

If you're looking for an appetizer that will delight your guests with its gorgeous presentation and rich, delicious taste, the search stops here. These beautiful canapés start with a base of candy cane (or Chioggia) beet squares, whose alternating ruby and white rings are stunning. (You can add more color to the platter by alternating candy cane beet and golden beet slices.) The beet stays raw, so the slices are crunchy and sweet and hold up nicely. The jewel-like topping of easy-to-find salmon caviar turns what's truly a simple make-ahead nibble into an absolute work of art that'll make you the talk of your social circle.

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Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Cream

Here’s a great way to rev-up your typical baked sweet potato: Turn it into a gorgeous hasselback sweet potato, and drizzle it with smoky chipotle cream. The accordion-like cuts give the potato some crispy outer edges, keeping the insides moist and soft. They also turn it into a pull-apart dish that’s super fun to eat. You can bake just one for yourself for lunch or dinner, or cook up a bunch at a time (perfect for dinner parties or holiday entertaining).

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Spooky Spider Cupcake Toppers

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Spooky Spider Toppers

Halloween is a holiday for pulling out all the stops, for having fun with all kinds of ghoulish decorations. Here's a scary-good way to go big and give kids and grown-ups a thrill—3-D chocolate spiders that perch on top of cupcakes and definitely give you the creepy-crawlies. Dare you reach for a sweet treat, lest these spiders crawl onto your hand? The chocolate arachnids are frighteningly easy to make, requiring readily found craft-store ingredients and just a few steps. Any leftover chocolate can turn into eerie spiderwebs.

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Herb-Laminated Biscuits

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Herb-Laminated Biscuits

We have discovered a lovely way to spruce up your bread basket. With our herb lamination technique, you can turn your favorite biscuits into botanical works of art that are infused with the flavors of sage, parsley, rosemary, or thyme. They're great alongside soup or roast chicken at dinner or with a breakfast or brunch spread.

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Grown-Up Jellied Desserts

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Grown-Up Jellied Desserts

If you’re looking to impress at your next dinner party but bristle at the idea of jumping through difficult culinary hoops, this idea is perfect. Our layered desserts are beautiful—and the fact that they’re made with goodies from the liquor cabinet gives them a decidedly grown-up edge and rather sophisticated flavor profiles. The contrast of creamy, rich pudding against light, bright gelatin is a delicious pairing of opposites. Our favorites pair silky vanilla pudding with Aperol, tangy citrus pudding with tequila, rich butterscotch pudding with aged rum, and bittersweet chocolate pudding with red wine.

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Tropical Fruit Nachos

Photo: Johhny Miller

View Recipe: Tropical Fruit Nachos

Who says nachos are solely meant for salty chips and oniony salsa? This sweet reinvention replaces tortilla chips with crispy cinnamon wontons, salsa with chopped tropical fruit, and the cheesy drizzle with silky coconut sauce. You can bake the chips ahead, cool, and place in an airtight container; store in a cool, dry place for up to three days.

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Toppings Bar for Roasted Marshmallows

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Toppings for Roasted Marshmallows

Campfire-roasted marshmallows are a summer classic, but there’s a fun way to step up your marshmallow game. Have a party and set out a toppings bar so folks can creatively embellish their toasty treats. Whether you prefer yours slow-cooked and creamy throughout or charred outside and firm within, our ideas make those marshmallows even more lip-smackingly good.

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Inside-Out Pancakes

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Inside-Out Pancakes

Turn regular pancakes into something way more fun: Flip them inside out so they become a portable, handheld breakfast on the go with hot, gooey interior. Here we place a filling of brown sugar, toasted pine nuts, and cinnamon inside regular whole-wheat pancake batter. The results are irresistible: The brown sugar melts to a yummy molten syrup as the cakes cook.

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Easter Egg Baskets

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Egg Baskets

Happy Easter from the Cooking Light family to yours! What better way to add panache to Easter brunch than with these adorably edible egg baskets? For best results use refrigerated shredded hash browns, but you can also match the pastel hues of Easter by mixing the hash browns with carrots, beets, or zucchini.

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Rhubarb Jam Cheesecakes

Photo: Brian Kennedy

View Recipe: Rhubarb Jam Cheesecakes

If you want a little something sweet and you want it fast, pull one of these Rhubarb Jam Cheesecakes from the freezer at the start of dinner–it will be ready to eat in time for dessert.

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Flavored Sugars

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipes: Flavored Sugars

We created sugars with zippy flavors and bright colors. Freeze-dried fruit makes gorgeous strawberry and blueberry sugar. We even perfected a quick microwave trick for drying herbs and citrus peel while preserving their bright, vibrant colors—and thus were born orange, basil-lime, and lemon mint sugars. Sprinkle over muffin batter, spoon over Greek yogurt, or rim cocktail glasses for extra-festive drinks.

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Poached Pear Bread

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Poached Pear Bread

Impress friends over coffee, or perhaps received a standing ovation at the breakfast table, with this stunning loaf. It offers a clue to its interior surprise when it comes out of the oven, but when you cut into it, the real magic happens. It’s remarkably easy to make, too.

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Candied Pancetta Stacks

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Roasted Strawberry Margaritas With Aquafaba Whip

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Hasselback Apples

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Smoky Carrot Dogs With Nacho Sauce

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Jackfruit Tostadas

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Grilled Pineapple Lemonade

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Waffle Iron Hash Browns

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Retro Triple-Layer Parfaits

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Nutty Carrot Flatbread

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Acorn Squash Egg-in-the-Hole

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Sea Salt and Vinegar Zucchini Chips

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Hasseltots with Crème Fraîche and Caviar

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Flavored Finishing Salts

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Sheet Pan S'mores

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Grilled Camembert

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Chamomile-Strawberry-Orange Cold-Brewed Tea

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Strawberry Gazpacho

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Egg Ravioli

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Butternut Squash Queso Fundido

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Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls

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The Quickest Holiday Dessert

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Maple Pumpkin Pie With a Message

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Grilled Watermelon Pizza

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Honey Taffy

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Avocado Fries

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Smoked Salmon Bites

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