86 fanciful recipes

Add some sophistication to the dinner table with this scrumptious dish that will make your family think their in a fancy restaurant.

A slow cooker Parmesan cream sauce loaded with chicken, ham, and mushrooms, spooned into flaky pastry shells. Set it and forget it for an effortless dinner that feels fancy.

Sirloin strips seared with portobello mushrooms and scallions in a silky sour cream and balsamic gravy. Stroganoff that looks fancy but comes together in minutes.

Cherry cheese brownies swirled with cream cheese, coconut, almond extract, and dark sweet cherries through a brownie mix batter. A fancy twist on box brownies.

Can't make up your mind how fancy to get? Here are 2 presentations of this tasty squash--one homey and one for "dress-up".

This is one of the most refreshing desserts I've ever had. If you are feeling fancy, serve the mousse in little dark chocolate bowls.

Parisian Sophisticates: almond-vanilla buttermilk cupcakes hollowed out and filled with airy chocolate truffle mousse, topped with toasted cake crumbs. Vintage tea-party fancy.

Easy mocha fudge cake doctors a butter fudge cake mix with hot fudge topping and instant coffee folded into whipped cream. A 4-ingredient layer cake that tastes like a fancy bakery special.

Baked pork chops with cream of mushroom soup, soy sauce, mandarin oranges, and Chinese mixed vegetables. A sweet-savory retro casserole with mid-century chop suey roots.

Why go to a fancy restaurant when you can enjoy this succulent seafood dish that is perfect for a romantic dinner with your loved one.

Classic Chinese stir-fried squid in fermented black bean sauce with garlic, ginger, rice wine, and scallions. Sounds fancy, cooks in minutes. Easier than you think.

Boozy bundt cake soaked in an apricot-rum glaze that seeps into every crumb. A showstopper dessert that tastes fancy but starts with a box mix.

Crispy chicken breasts stuffed with herbed cheese, baked golden, then draped in a glossy kumquat-orange sauce with tarragon. Fancy enough for guests but surprisingly doable.

Silky anchovy spread mellowed with milk, enriched with Bel Paese cheese, and spiked with lemon and capers for elegant toast points that taste fancy but take minutes.

Moist pumpkin cake rolled up with sweet cream cheese frosting and dusted with powdered sugar. This impressive fall dessert looks fancy but follows a simple jellyroll technique.

Ground beef, carrots, potatoes, and rice simmer into thick, stick-to-your-ribs comfort that stretches to feed 8 without breaking the bank or requiring fancy ingredients.