103 cresent recipes

Baked pork chops topped with rice-stuffed green pepper rings, cream of mushroom soup, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. A retro casserole that doubles as dinner and presentation.

Rugelach four ways: a single cream cheese pastry dough turned into raspberry-almond crescents, layered chocolate-pecan squares, apricot pockets and honey-pecan triangles. Holiday cookie tray showstopper.

Jewish rugelach with a flaky cottage cheese dough, apricot jam, cinnamon-sugar, walnuts, and currants rolled into golden crescents. A holiday cookie jar essential for Hanukkah or Christmas.

Plum tomato tart on crisp phyllo layers with Dijon mustard, Parmesan, and fresh thyme-parsley-garlic oil. A shatteringly light French-style appetizer with dramatic tomato mosaic presentation.

Rugelach roll flaky cream cheese dough around apricot preserves, cinnamon-brown-sugar, walnuts, and raisins into bite-sized crescents. A classic Jewish bakery cookie for Hanukkah and Christmas alike.

Upside-down apple pie with a caramelized pecan or walnut topping, cinnamon-spiced apple filling, and a single fluted pastry crust. Flip it onto a plate for a stunning presentation.

Romesco-style roasted pepper dip made with broiled red and yellow bell peppers, roasted garlic, almonds, and sherry vinegar. A low-fat vegetarian appetizer with a striking two-tone presentation.

Molded ambrosia salad with orange juice gelatin, fresh banana, oranges, and shredded coconut. A vintage Southern gelatin salad that unmolds onto a bed of salad greens for a retro presentation.

Greek fish baked in grape leaves with lemon-thyme-fennel marinade and anchovy butter. Whole small fish wrapped and oven-baked for moist, herbed, Mediterranean-style flesh and dramatic presentation.

Golden half-moon pastries stuffed with garlicky leeks and a hint of chili, crimped into little crescents and fried until they shatter. Afghan street food that's vegetarian, crunchy, and completely addictive.

Braided bread with a blend of whole wheat and white flour, shaped into a three-strand braid and brushed with milk for a golden crust. Simple yeast bread with beautiful presentation.

Wattakka is a creamy Sri Lankan pumpkin curry cooked in coconut milk and thickened with ground rice and mustard seeds. Served in the hollowed-out pumpkin shell for a stunning presentation.

Two-ingredient palmier cookies made from puff pastry and sugar, folded and sliced into caramelized golden crescents. A classic French bakery cookie with shattering, flaky layers and a crunchy sugar crust.

Whole wheat flowerpot bread with oatmeal and molasses, baked in clay pots for a rustic round loaf. A fun yeast bread that rises right in the pot for a charming presentation.

Nut butter cookie dough folds toasted, finely ground pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds into a master holiday butter cookie base. Shape it into Linzer cookies, Viennese crescents, cut-outs, or thumbprints.

Chilled two-tone melon soup with cantaloupe and honeydew poured side by side for a striking orange-and-green presentation. A refreshing no-cook summer appetizer with sherry, citrus, and fresh mint.