Starter

When you get right down to it, very few people actually really and truly want a green bean casserole. Lacy fried green beans with an addictive shallot dip? That’s another story, and a great way to use up any leftover beans.

Look for celery root that is firm—not spongy—at the bottom end.

Kachka chef Bonnie Morales insists it’s not a Russian party without this retro seafood salad on the table.

These taste great at room temperature, so cook this blini recipe (using two skillets at a time!) an hour ahead.

Save the hard-boiled egg yolks for your caviar accoutrements.

Purists will tell you this just gets better with time, so prepare it in advance of your party.

This method works well with other fish. Substitute salmon or fresh trout for the char if you like.

Spaghetti squash varies greatly in terms of wetness. You’ll really want to squeeze out as much liquid as possible so your fritters fry up crisp, not soggy.

This savory mixture lands somewhere between dip and spread but it's dead on delicious. Like a holiday cheeseball...minus the cheese.

We thought mashed potatoes' stock plummeted on Day 2—until we had these croquettes. Crispy yet creamy, potatoes might be better as leftovers.

Vibrant greens, handfuls of fresh herbs, nuts for crunch, and horseradish for bite. Ingredients are suggestions; feel free to mix it up.

A silky, subtly sweet little number that makes fall vegetables feel downright swanky.

The keys to achieving razor-edged triangles: Let the sandwiches cool slightly, then slice with a serrated knife.

Keys to great potato chips: A lower frying temp gets the moisture out; a vinegar soak ensures they're crisp.

When using preserved lemons, scoop out the insides and only use the peel.

A fun first course to serve to guests in the kitchen. By the time one batch has been devoured, the next one will be coming out of the fryer.

This recipe from Thai-Kun makes a generous amount of sauce, which you may find yourself finishing (we won’t judge). Any leftover would be great on everything from white rice to noodles to…well, more bread.

The funky flavor in these mind-altering chicken wings comes from a jarred condiment that’s pretty easy to find at Asian markets.

Rose's Luxury chef Aaron Silverman combined his buttermilk biscuit recipe with his sous chef’s to create what he says are “the best biscuits I’ve ever tasted.”

Charred to a crisp: Not a statement usually associated with salads, but delicious nonetheless in this Mexican-inspired romaine number from Rose's Luxury.

Keep summer going just a little bit longer: Serve these with a pile of steamed, buttered corn.

If you haven’t cooked with MSG before, give it a try—chef Quealy Watson, Hot Joy, San Antonio, is a big fan.

Chef Einat Admony’s keys to getting kids to eat yogurt: Make it bright red and thicker than ice cream.

Says Del Posto pastry chef Brooks Headley of these crisp, buttery-sweet biscuits, “Serving them hot is all that matters.”