Beverages

You'll feel positively Continental after your first taste of these tartlets, made with the thoroughly French combination of prunes and Armagnac. The creamy Italian mascarpone filling is just the thing to mellow out the sophisticated flavors.

These dainty tea cakes took many of us back to our childhood. A few drops of kirsch gives them a faintly eastern European air.

Don't be nervous about making meatless mincemeat if you've never tried it before—it's a knockout combination of dried fruits and spices that adds wonderfully deep flavor to baked goods. Here, chunks of sweet pear and a handful of tart fruit create a pie that's fantastic with vanilla ice cream.

These luscious cranberry-studded cakes enriched with bourbon and pecans break away from traditional pumpkin pie without eliminating all those beloved ingredients that say Thanksgiving.

Adding the cranberries in three stages, along with crumbled nuts, results in a wonderful conserve with layers of texture and flavor. The turbinado sugar imparts subtle caramel undertones.

Even if you love dark meat, you won't be disappointed with this easy alternative to serving a whole turkey. Roasting the turkey breast at high heat for a short time locks in tons of meaty juice, and the filling combines stuffing and cranberry sauce in one dish. Pan juices, whisked together with apple cider, top it all off.

Sherry lends a nutty note to a big-flavored and colorful sauce.

We couldn't improve much on traditional beef Stroganov, but we did decide to trade up: The usual small tenderloin pieces are replaced by whole steaks, which make for a more striking presentation on the plate.

The secret to this simple recipe is using the best carrots you can find; taste them to make sure they are sweet and full of flavor.

Part of what makes this luxurious dish so delicious is that the spinach, artichokes, and oysters have a similar texture and the same soft, gentle flavors.

This dish is the vegetable incarnation of mulled wine—the cabbage and onions soak up all the flavor of the red wine and spices, becoming incredibly aromatic.

This recipe brings smoky paprika and a jolt of briny capers to fish and chips.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Amy Sedaris's I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence. For Sedaris's tips on throwing a Halloween party, click here. Meat loaf has a lot of variations so be creative and change it up.

This recipe is adapted from Will Goldfarb, the innovative chef behind Room 4 Dessert in New York City. Egg whites give this drink the body and Chambord provides a jammy punch that complements the berry undertones in this <epi:recipelink id="108967">Chocolate-Cranberry Torte</epi:recipelink>.

These tiny birds, stuffed with creamy goat cheese, make fun yet elegant turkey stand-ins. Since the quail are small and there's not much meat on each one, plan on serving guests two to three per person, and encourage them to chew the meat off the bones rather than trying to cut it off with a knife and fork.

This recipe is adapted from Audrey Saunders, owner of Pegu Club in New York City. The slightly bubbly riff on the Bloody Mary goes wonderfully with Oysters on the Half Shell with Spicy Vinegar. For expert advice on pairing cocktails with food, click here. Editor's note: Saunders suggests that you use your favorite Bloody Mary recipe for this drink. In case you don't have one, we've provided one of our best.

This recipe is adapted from Audrey Saunders, owner of Pegu Club in New York City. Crown Roast of Lamb with Rosemary requires a companion drink with body, and this cocktail has that in spades. Also, like lamb, its flavor is a bit racy.