100 special recipes

Layered avocado terrine with Dijon mustard and whipped cream, sliced and served with poached shrimp and a fresh basil tomato cream sauce. A showstopping chilled appetizer for special occasions.

Seared buffalo tenderloin medallions finished with a Jack Daniels pan sauce of veal stock and cream. A restaurant-quality 20-minute dinner for two that feels like a special occasion.

Handmade liqueur-filled chocolates with a kirsch or Chambord fondant center coated in semi-sweet chocolate. These molded truffles make a sophisticated homemade candy gift for holidays and special occasions.

Old-fashioned sweet cantaloupe pickles brined and slow-simmered in a spiced sugar syrup with cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. A heritage preserving recipe that turns underripe melons into something special.

PB&J specials made with rolled bread dough stuffed with peanut butter and jelly, topped with melted butter and chopped peanuts, then baked golden. A fun twist on a childhood classic.

Grilled beef tenderloin topped with melted Asadero cheese and a butter-mounted chipotle sauce, finished with crumbled Cotija and fresh cilantro. A Mexican-style steakhouse treatment for special-occasion grilling.

Lebanese Baklawa Be'Aj features phyllo squares shaped into lily petals around an egg-white walnut and almond filling, soaked in rose water and orange blossom syrup. A showstopper pastry for special occasions.

Bread machine bagels with a chewy whole wheat and bread flour blend, sweetened with honey, water-boiled and oven-baked. Make 8, 12, or 16 at a time with no special equipment.

Asian-inspired beef filets crusted in chopped peanuts, water chestnuts, and garlic, then baked and topped with a ginger-orange "August Moon" sauce. A retro fusion main dish for special occasions.

An air-dried roast duck glazed with Scotch, soy, honey, ginger, and brown sugar marinade until the skin turns deep mahogany. A Peking-duck-inspired showstopper for a special-occasion dinner.

This is a great first time pad thai recipe. You will need some special ingredients to get started but once you have added them to your pantry this makes a great weeknight meal.

Basic rack of lamb: a French-trimmed rack marinated, then roasted hot to a rosy medium-rare and carved into elegant double-bone chops. The foundation technique for an impressive special-occasion main.

Freezer pickles made with sliced cucumbers, onions, sugar, vinegar, and celery seed. No canning, no water bath, no special equipment. Just salt, slice, and freeze for bread-and-butter flavor any time of year.

Preserved blueberries in orange liqueur syrup with fresh lavender flowers, canned in a boiling water bath. Spoon over vanilla ice cream, fold into yogurt, or gift a jar to someone who deserves something truly special.

Golden-seared veal cutlets topped with a warm bourbon-spiked apricot and orange compote laced with ginger. Sweet, savory, and citrusy all at once, this elegant 40-minute dinner for four feels like a special occasion.

Easy kimchi for first-timers: salted napa cabbage fermented with green onion, garlic, ginger, and dried chile in a simple brine. No fish sauce, no special paste. Let it bubble on the counter, then chill the funky, sour, crunchy result.