877 lounge recipes

Traditionally, poached apples stuffed with prunes (see recipe) are served with the Christmas goose. Red cabbage and carmelized potatoes (see recipes) complete the Christmas menu in Denmark.

"You're ready to invite the gang over for a last-minute party any time as long as you can pull this favorite from the freezer and pop it in the oven. Watch them go crazy! (Warning: habit forming!)"

Roasted potatoes and Roma tomatoes with fresh rosemary, chives, and olive oil. Pre-cooked potato slices layered with tomatoes and baked until golden at the edges.

A quick Cajun red beans and rice with canned kidney beans, chopped sausage, Creole seasoning, and Louisiana hot sauce. Thick, spicy, and on the table in 30 minutes for a weeknight taste of New Orleans.

Aniseed biscotti from Genoa, twice-baked into long, crisp logs scented with whole anise seed. A yeast-raised dough makes them lighter and more bread-like than the typical Tuscan biscotti, ideal for dunking in coffee or sweet wine.

Patata e risi, an Italian potato and rice soup with carrots, tomato paste, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. A hearty one-pot soup simmered in chicken broth and finished with grated cheese.

Zucchini halves loaded with a savory ground beef, rice, and fresh dill filling, smothered in spaghetti sauce and Parmesan breadcrumbs. A hearty Italian-style dinner that feeds a crowd.

Salmon steaks coated in mayo and flour-dill mixture, browned, then baked on a bed of rice cooked with vegetables and bouillon: complete one-dish meal ready in 45 minutes.

Quick Italian pasta shells tossed with garlic-sauteed shrimp, fresh green beans, sun-dried tomatoes, and crushed red pepper in olive oil. A 25-minute weeknight dinner with big Mediterranean flavor.

Homemade seitan from scratch using bread flour, kneaded and washed to extract pure wheat gluten, then simmered in a savory tamari, ginger, and kombu broth. The ultimate plant-based protein.

Christmas oyster soup with butter-simmered carrots and celery in hot milk, finished with gently warmed oysters. A traditional holiday first course meant to be served immediately.

Ultra-moist chocolate zucchini cake with buttermilk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chocolate chips on top. Baked in a 9x13 pan, this one-bowl cake stays soft for days.

Chilled raspberry and red wine soup with cranberry juice, cinnamon, and a sour cream swirl. Refreshing summer dessert soup or unexpected starter, served cold.

This is an authentic family recipe that my mother taught me in 1950 in New Orleans. It makes a great dinner party main dish. Like chinese food, it is long on chopping and assembling, but goes together and cooks rather quickly.

When buying cheese for grating, get the best quality - Parmigiano Reggiano. A wedge will keep for a long time in your refrigerator if it's very well wrapped in plastic. As it may be expensive, consider that you've made a worthwhile investment.

Hot mulled spice mix with whole cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, allspice, coriander seeds, dried lemongrass, mint, and orange zest. Make a big batch for mulled wine, cider, and warm holiday drinks.