140 party recipes

No-cook layered Tex-Mex dip with mashed black beans, fresh avocado, spiced sour cream, cheddar, tomatoes, and olives. A crowd-pleasing party appetizer.

Cocktail crab dip blends flaked crab meat with cream cheese, ketchup, horseradish, and hot sauce for a creamy, tangy party dip. No cooking, ready in 15 minutes.

Greek shrimp baked with feta, tomato sauce, ouzo, and flamed cognac. Garides saganaki-style seafood with anise-scented depth, perfect for dinner party theatrics.

Jamaican beef patties with curried ground beef filling in a flaky turmeric-tinted pastry shell. Baked golden and freezer-friendly. Makes about 30 patties for parties or meal prep.

Garlic-parsley finger sandwiches blend fresh garlic, chopped parsley, and mayonnaise into a tea-time spread on thinly sliced white bread. Four-ingredient party appetizer cut on the diagonal.

Retro shrimp mold made with tomato soup, cream cheese, and gelatin for a spreadable party appetizer. Canned shrimp, diced vegetables, and tangy mayo create a 1960s throwback that's surprisingly good on crackers.

Mexican chocolate mousse with flambeed Jamaican rum that burns off the harsh edge and leaves deep, smoky-sweet flavor folded into clouds of whipped cream. A make-ahead dinner-party dessert.

Lollipop sugar cookies on sticks, a kid-friendly baking project with paintable egg yolk designs or pressed-in decorations. Fun party cookies that bake in under 10 minutes.

A party-sized potato salad platter with Dijon mustard, artichoke hearts, and curry-spiked deviled eggs arranged around the edge. Five pounds of potatoes feed a crowd in style.

It is an excellent choice for February parties or for any occasion where a deluxe cake is desired.

Cold stuffed tomatoes filled with crunchy diced cucumber, cabbage, peppers, and celery, topped with curry-spiked mayo. A retro summer salad-stuffed appetizer that pre-makes for parties.

Classic Knorr-style spinach dip with sour cream, mayo, water chestnuts, green onions, and dry vegetable soup mix. The overnight-chill party dip everyone hoards.

Fresh blackberries macerated in aged balsamic vinegar, layered with creamy Greek yogurt and honey, then topped with a crackly torched sugar crust. A no-bake crème brûlée that's elegant enough for a dinner party.

Bread machine mini doughnut balls fried golden and topped with melted chocolate, chopped almonds, powdered sugar, or cinnamon. Party-sized yeast doughnuts without the hard work.

Peanut butter swirl ice cream cake with a crushed Oreo crust, chocolate wafer cookies, and hot fudge topping. No-bake, freezer-set, and ridiculously impressive for parties.

A novelty cake shaped like a giant hamburger! Golden pound cake topped with toasted sesame seeds, penuche frosting, cocoa "meat," and strawberry preserve "ketchup." A total showstopper for kids' parties.