869 topping recipes

New Year's Eve polenta squares crisp tube polenta under the broiler, then top each bite with a tangy sun-dried tomato, caper, and parsley pesto. A make-ahead cocktail-party appetizer that feeds a crowd.

Old-fashioned blackberry pudding with a simple batter that rises up around the berries as it bakes, finished with a sugar crust on top. Homestyle comfort in an 8x8 pan.

Soft homemade dinner rolls: pillowy yeast rolls made the old-fashioned way with milk, water, and active dry yeast. Pull-apart soft, golden-topped, and worth every minute of the rise.

Snow cap meringue cookies fold semi-sweet chocolate chips into low-and-slow baked egg-white meringues, then dip the tops in melted white chocolate. Crisp, airy holiday cookies. Makes 6 dozen.

Braised pork chops with a brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and dill glaze, topped with lemon slices and simmered in white wine. A one-skillet dinner with bold flavor.

Poppy seed cake made with real vanilla bean and a folded meringue for an incredibly light, tender crumb. Topped with cream cheese frosting for a classic finish.

Grilled shrimp with pesto pasta salad: chilled linguine tossed in homemade basil pesto with red and green peppers, topped with quick-grilled shrimp skewers. A summer entrée salad that works hot or cold.

Three-layer mint chocolate candy with dark chocolate on the top and bottom and a green peppermint white chocolate center. No-bake fudge-style squares made with sweetened condensed milk and just six ingredients.

Baked scallops in white Zinfandel wine with garlic, onions, and crumbled cracker topping. An elegant yet effortless seafood dish ready in just 15 minutes from start to finish.

Pan-seared salmon steaks topped with crispy ginger and green onion matchsticks, served over peppery arugula with a sherry-soy pan sauce. Date-night dinner for two in under 30 minutes.

Miss Hulling's chicken pot pie made from scratch with a whole stewing hen simmered into rich broth, loaded with potatoes and carrots, and topped with golden pastry. Old-fashioned comfort food done right.

Chowning's Tavern wine cooler with lemonade poured over crushed ice and topped with dry red wine, garnished with fresh mint and a cherry. A two-layer Colonial Williamsburg classic.

Curried rice salad with corn, celery, olives, dill pickles, and a chutney French dressing. A retro cold salad mounded on greens and topped with sliced hard-boiled eggs.

Twice-baked potatoes stuffed with ham, egg yolks, and milk, topped with folded egg whites for a puffy, golden souffled finish. A clever way to use leftover ham.

Italian apple tart (crostata di mele) with lattice top and minimal sugar. Thinly sliced apples in homemade tart dough bake until golden. Simple, rustic, and authentically Italian.

No-yeast buckwheat pretzels with a nutty, toasty crunch topped with coarse salt and sesame seeds. A fun, kid-friendly baking project that's done in an hour.