From Family Circle

Set out a plate of these crispy appetizers and watch them disappear. The beer batter nicely coats the onion and fries to a lovely shade of golden brown.

Fried Onion Rings

From Better Homes and Gardens

New Orleans satisfies its sweet tooth with pralines, a candy made from sugar, cream, butter, and nuts.

Pralines

From Fleischmann's Yeast, Argo, Karo

Compliments guaranteed when you try these great recipes from Karo.

Classic Pecan Pie

From Kellogg's

Before measuring the corn syrup, coat your measuring cup with cooking spray--the syrup will pour easily out of the cup.

Chocolate Scotcheroos

From French's

BBQ Sloppy Joe Sliders

From Taste of the South

Party Punch

From Family Circle

The best pulled pork recipes call for low and slow cooking like this one. The low heat ensures moist meat while the lengthy cooking time allows the flavors to mellow.

Carolina Pulled-Pork Sandwich

From Family Circle

Stuff thick slices of cucumber with a cheddar and cream cheese dill spread for an appetizer that's tantalizes but leaves room for the meal to follow.

Cheesy Cucumber Bites

From Kellogg's

Spicy Meatballs

From Taste of the South

Peanut-Butter Truffles

From Fine Cooking Magazine

If fondue seems like a project, you might be surprised at just how easily it comes together. In fact, it's a perfect dish for casual entertaining, even on a busy weeknight. Just grab a fondue pot, set out a few dippers (see Serving Suggestions, below), and invite friends over to dig (or rather, dip) in.

Beer & Cheddar Fondue

From Better Homes and Gardens

Update chocolate fondue with a hint of coffee, and serve it with fresh fruit or meringue cookies.

Mocha Fondue

From Taste of the South

Creole Ranch Dipping Sauce

From Fleischmann's Yeast, Argo, Karo

Get baking success every time with recipes like the following, from Fleischmann's Yeast.

Garlic Cheese Breadsticks

From Fleischmann's Yeast, Argo, Karo

Get baking success every time with recipes like the following, from Fleischmann's Yeast.

Pepperoni Batter Bread

From The Food Channel

Festive holiday gatherings call for a festive signature cocktail. The French 75, made famous at Arnaud's in New Orleans, is the perfect drink to serve for small parties and special occasions. This version features cognac, fresh squeezed lemon juice and sugar topped with bubbly-cold champagne and a lemon twist.

French 75 Champagne Cocktail

From Food & Wine

Americano

From Food & Wine

Old-Fashioned

From Better Homes and Gardens

Thin slices of this cheddar-and-chicken-stuffed bread make a savory holiday appetizer.

Chicken-Cheese Bread

From Vegetarian Times

The Mardi Gras colors are purple, green and gold. This salad celebrates the season and doesn't wilt on a buffet.

Mardi Gras Slaw

From Fine Cooking Magazine

If you want to get fancy, you can top the pears with ice cream, Devon cream, creme fraiche or mascarpone, but plain old heavy cream is awfully good, and has the virtue of simplicity. A scattering of toasted almonds would also be welcome.

Sweet Wine & Honey Roasted Pears

From Food & Wine

Hemant Oberoi makes kebabs with ground chicken, herbs, spices and cheese (cheddar stands in here for the Amul cheese he uses). He fries the round kebabs until crisp and golden brown and serves them on sugarcane skewers to add a little sweetness, although any kind of skewer will work.

Fried Chicken Kebabs

From Food & Wine

Aviation

From Food & Wine

These crispy rolls, adapted from the cookbook Nirmala's Edible Diary are a riff on Argentinean street food.

Goat Cheese & Chorizo Rolls

From Food & Wine

The world used to be simple: Chefs cooked, sommeliers poured wine and bartenders made drinks. But lately, sommeliers and chefs have stepped behind the bar to create great cocktails. This one is from Bernie Sun, wine director at Manhattan's ABC Kitchen.

Basil Lime Daiquiri