Here is a rich and luxurious recipe that is perfect for your time-starved holiday schedule. It is made with pappardelle, the widest and most flamboyant of the traditional egg noodle pastas. (The name comes from the Italian word pappare, which means “to gobble up.”) The secret ingredient is saffron, which, while a bit expensive, gives seafood an indescribably wonderful flavor. Serve this dish family style on a large decorative platter as a culinary centerpiece for your New Year’s Dinner.

Here is a true American classic that just begs to be paired with a top-quality California sparkling wine. Whether you choose blue crab from the Chesapeake Bay or Dungeness crab from the Pacific Northwest, these miniature cakes will melt in your mouth. For the sake of convenience, you can do the prep work a day in advance and pop the baking pans in the oven while your guests are enjoying their first glass of wine.

Cherrystones (sometimes called “littlenecks”) are hard shell clams from the East Coast. For this recipe, you can also substitute Manila Clams from the West Coast. A trusted source is the Hog Island Oyster Company, of Tomales Bay, on the Northern California Coast. Broiled Clams on the Half Shell make a great finger food for a winter cocktail party, or an elegant appetizer course for a New Year’s Eve dinner.

With pink salmon and crimson beets topping a cream-colored purée, this colorful dish tastes as good as it looks. The buttery purée and sweet, smoky beets team up well with meaty salmon. A hint of clove adds intrigue.

Oysters are the finger food of the gods. And with so many ways to serve them, you simply must treat your guests to a plate of fresh Pacifics, Belons or Olympias when they're in season.

If Mom is expecting flowers for Mother's Day, or maybe just a card, she'll be delighted when you serve her a bubbly brunch with crêpes made from scratch.

With fresh, high-quality tuna now available year-round in most parts of the country, it's easier than ever to make this elegant pink delicacy at home.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a little nutty, a little spicy. The language you hear on Bourbon Street can be a little salty too, which makes this a perfect recipe for kicking off your Mardi Gras party.

Created by the chefs at etoile Restaurant, this naturally pink appetizer has become one of the signature dishes at our annual Pink Party, a fundraising event held at the Domaine Chandon winery to benefit Breast Cancer Research.

If you like hearing your guests say, "you made this yourself?" when you serve a dessert, then you must try this recipe from the chefs at etoile Restaurant.

Creole Jambalaya is authentic New Orleans cuisine, with origins in the French Quarter. Like the Crescent City itself, it's a melting pot of Spanish, French and Native American influences. Jambalaya is a terrific party dish.

Serving crème brûlèe at brunch is a testament to your cooking ability, and a real treat for your guests. You don't have to tell them that you prepared it the afternoon before and popped it in the oven while you were all enjoying brunch.

James Bond fans will know that Eggs Benedict is one of 007's favorite breakfast dishes (the other is scrambled eggs).

Oysters are a bold and stylish way to kick off a weekend brunch. Serve them on the half shell with a garnish of lemon wedges.

Mixing truffles with your popcorn is a little like drinking etoile Brut at a baseball game. Delightfully original and perfectly delicious.

Toast points are an elegant and simple addition to serving cheese and pates at any gathering. Amazingly, they taste delicious even on their own!

Ham, bacon and pork, or carnitas, are staple meats throughout the Mediterranean. This pairing of prawns and bacon is extremely popular in tapas bars and ideal for an intimate gathering of friends.

One of the easiest types of tapas, Pa amb oli means "bread with olive oil" in Majorcan. This simple snack can be served at breakfast, as a snack, or with lunch or dinner.

In Spanish cooking, a tortilla is a flat omelet cut into wedges and served for lunch or dinner, often with a fresh tomato and basil salad. The addition of chorizo and cheese lend it a savory, rich flavor.

In this recipe, the tomatoes are used as a container for a savory Spanish stuffing. Aioli is a type of garlic mayonnaise. If you don't like garlic, use plain mayonnaise instead.