27 wedding cake recipes

Layered tamale pie steamed in real corn husks with three distinct masa layers: fresh corn, green chile cilantro, and red pepper chili. Served with fresh green salsa.

Cheese and chile squares, a baked appetizer of cottage cheese, Longhorn cheddar and Monterey Jack layered with green chiles and a tabasco-spiked egg custard. Cuts into 24 crowd-ready bites for parties.

Loaded baked beans built from two cans of beans simmered with peppered bacon, anaheim and hot chiles, garlic and a trio of fresh herbs. A smoky, sweet-and-spicy side that turns canned beans into the star of the cookout.

Hearty baked beans loaded with ground chuck, bell peppers, onions, hickory BBQ sauce, and freshly ground whole spices, finished in the oven until thick and bubbly. The ultimate cookout side dish.

Crispy Indian vegetable fritters (pakora) made with a spiced chickpea flour batter with cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne. Dip potatoes, cauliflower, and peppers, then fry until golden.

Impossible Creole pie layers crabmeat, okra, tomatoes, and green pepper under a self-forming Bisquick crust with eggs and milk. Vintage crustless pie with Louisiana flavor.

Peking lamb with leeks stir-fries velveted lamb in savory brown bean sauce with Shao Hsing wine, dried chilies, and Chinese mushrooms. Triple-fried for crisp edges, soft centers, and deep wok flavor.

Restaurant-style sesame beef stir fry with crisp asparagus and red bell pepper. Triple-fried strips get tossed in a savory soy, sesame paste, and Shaoxing wine sauce that clings to every bite.

Freezer mix pizza with a quick Bisquick-yeast crust topped with beef-tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan. A homemade pizza using pantry staples.

Szechuan-style flank steak stir-fried with snow peas, mushrooms, carrots, and dried red chilies in an oyster sauce and sesame oil glaze. A spicy, authentic Chinese beef dish ready in about an hour.

Russian tea cakes (also called Mexican wedding cookies): buttery nut-studded shortbread balls rolled twice in powdered sugar. A classic holiday cookie tin staple in 30 minutes.