1,321 party recipes

Two versions of the classic drive-in nut burger: one topped with salted peanuts, American cheese, and Thousand Island, the other slathered with chunky peanut butter and Russian dressing. Retro burger bliss.

Vidalia beef patty bakes a ground beef burger with sliced potato and sweet Vidalia onion in a buttered foil packet. A hands-off, one-serving campfire-style dinner.

Rancheros are stuffed burger patties filled with American cheese and Ortega chiles, double-dipped in buttermilk and cornmeal, fried crispy, and topped with an easy-over egg.

Raspberry Alaskas tuck fresh raspberries and vanilla ice cream inside crisp puff pastry shells, then cloak the whole thing in glossy meringue and flash it under high heat for a hot-and-cold dessert that hits the table the second it browns.

Beef Wellington, a true centerpiece roast: a beef tenderloin wrapped in a mushroom, pate, and Cognac duxelles and flaky puff pastry, then baked golden. An elegant special-occasion main that carves into pink slices.

Thick, fudgy peppermint pattie brownies with a whole layer of York-style mint candies sandwiched between cocoa batter. Makes 36 squares for parties and bake sales.

Fudgy cocoa brownies topped with melted peppermint patties spread into a smooth mint chocolate layer. Double chocolate, double mint, and seriously indulgent.

No-bake Halloween spider cookies made by stacking peppermint patties on butter cookies, then piping frosting legs and candy eyes. A spooky craft kids can eat!

Lobster tails in patty shells spoons sweet lobster meat in a sauterne-spiked cream sauce with mushrooms, olives, and pimento into golden puff pastry shells. A retro special-occasion dinner straight from the supper-club era.

Slow cooker meat and potato loaf with ground beef, Italian sausage, and instant potato flakes, cooked low for 6-7 hours. A hands-off meatloaf with a clever cheesecloth lifting trick.

Red snapper en papillote: snapper fillets baked in foil packets with scallops, shrimp, mussels, garlic marinara, and Cafe de Paris sauce. A dinner-party seafood feast unwrapped at the table.

Pan-seared strip steaks in a rich Burgundy wine and brandy reduction with shallots, Dijon mustard, and fresh herbs. A romantic French-inspired steak dinner for two, ready in 30 minutes.

Flaky puff pastry shells filled with orange-scented cream cheese whipped cream and topped with cherry pie filling. A dinner party dessert that looks dressed up but takes 30 minutes.

Mexican brunch tortillas folded around soft-scrambled eggs, soy patty crumbles, melty pepper jack, and topped with chopped avocado and salsa. A vegetarian handheld brunch ready in 20 minutes.

Parisienne fruit tart layers crisp puff pastry with vanilla cream and bananas, glazes it with apricot, then crowns it with whipped cream, grapes, and pineapple. A showpiece French pastry from simple shortcuts.

Double-stacked burger patties stuffed with green chiles and chipotle puree, topped with Monterey Jack and smoky chipotle mayo. Not for the faint of heart.