419 holiday recipes

Sambusak (Sephardic stuffed pastries) with a yeasted anise-scented dough filled with spiced ground beef, deep-fried to golden. A traditional Jewish meat pastry for holidays and gatherings.

Italian meatball cookies with warm spices, cocoa, raisins, nuts, and chocolate chips rolled into small round drops. A traditional Italian-American holiday cookie that looks like its dinner-table namesake.

Simple and colorful, which makes it perfect for the holidays!

Hallacas are Venezuela's Christmas tamales: beef, pork, chickpeas, olives, raisins, and capers wrapped in cornmeal dough and banana leaves, then boiled. Holiday tradition in every bite.

Old-fashioned Pennsylvania Dutch pickled pears: whole or sliced pears poached in spiced apple cider vinegar syrup with cloves and cinnamon. Traditional canning recipe for the holiday relish tray.

Super moist friendship cake starts with a 30-day brandied fruit starter, layering peaches, pineapple, and cherries, then bakes into a tender, fruit-and-nut loaf. The shareable holiday baking tradition.

Frontier fudge with three kinds of chocolate, marshmallows, evaporated milk, and chopped nuts. A big-batch candy recipe that makes five pounds of rich, creamy fudge for holiday gifting.

Kuba, a traditional Eastern European barley and mushroom casserole with dried mushrooms, butter, garlic, and marjoram. A hearty, earthy side dish for holiday meals and special occasions.

Traditional Jewish poppy seed candy (mohn) cooked with honey, sugar, chopped nuts, and ginger. A chewy, nutty confection cut into diamonds. Perfect for Purim and holidays.

Steamed cranberry pudding with molasses and a warm vanilla butter sauce. A dense, tart-sweet holiday dessert with jewel-red cranberry halves throughout, steamed for 90 minutes in a mold.

A triangular filled pastry, traditionally eaten during the Jewish Holiday of Purim.

Saltine cracker dressing loaded with crumbled sausage, smoked oysters, sage, and thyme. Stuff your bird or bake it as a hearty side dish that brings Bohemian comfort to any holiday table.

Russian Jewish cabbage rolls (holishkes) stuff softened cabbage with seasoned ground beef and simmer 2 hours in a sweet-sour tomato-lemon sauce with caramelized sugar. Holiday tradition in one pot.

Cherry fruit chews are a vintage Bisquick bar studded with maraschino cherries, dates, and walnuts. Seven ingredients, one bowl, baked in a 9x13 pan. Yields four dozen retro holiday bites.

Pumpkin mincemeat bread with sourdough starter, pumpkin pie spice, walnuts, and brown sugar. A spiced quick bread that makes multiple loaves, perfect for holiday gifting and freezing.

Crown roast of lamb rubbed with garlic, rosemary, and olive oil, roasted alongside new potatoes. A stunning centerpiece for holiday dinners and special occasions.