Bon Appétit

Inspired by frullato di frutta, the frothy Italian fruit drink, this smoothie can be made with any type of fresh or frozen berries.

For a thicker smoothie, use frozen berries.

Slender wedges of this creamy quiche also make a wonderful appetizer.

Camote is Spanish for sweet potato.

The tea needs to steep overnight, so begin preparing this ahead.

A refreshing herbal iced tea with a nice crimson color. For a frosted look, freeze the glasses ahead of time, and dip the rims into sugar before pouring the tea.

Sweet and fruity, this is the quintessential beach or poolside drink.

Be sure to prepare the syrup at least a few hours before making drinks so that it has plenty of time to chill.

For an extra kick, add a dash of vodka to this refreshing drink.

If you're expecting a crowd, mix up a pitcher of these drinks ahead of time and refrigerate. Pour over ice and garnish with lime wedges just before serving.

This Franco-American combination of bourbon and bubbles gives you another reason to be thankful. It doubles easily to accommodate the number of guests around your holiday table.

A base used for making Margaritas

Dipping the rims of the glasses into a mixture of salt and sugar is a nice touch.

Try this frothy, creamy cocktail instead of eggnog to kick off your Christmas festivities.

Luis Miguel López Alanís of Morelia, Mexico, writes: "Although I grew up in Mexico, it was in Chicago of all places that I learned to cook Mexican food. During the two years I lived there, I missed my country's food so much that I wrote to my mother in Zitácuaro and asked her to send me recipes so I could cook for myself. "Now I work as a tour guide in Michoacán, my home state, where I lead tours on Morelia's colonial history and architecture, and show tourists the Paricutín Volcano and monarch butterfly sanctuaries. And sometimes I do restaurant and market tours. Whenever business slows down, I enjoy cooking for my family. " Mexico is known for its aguas frescas, delicious cold "waters" made simply from fruits or vegetables, water, and sugar. They're the perfect refreshment on a hot day.

This refreshing, sunrise-tinted juice can be blended and chilled one day ahead.

This drink is sweet, pretty, and refreshing. Grenadine can be found in the liquor section of most supermarkets.