The combination of peppers, both sweet and hot, lemon zest, cilantro, cinnamon, and cumin make these plump oysters something special.

These mini airy puffs are made with sharp Cheddar cheese and chives. For a little bit of spice and heat, dry mustard and cayenne pepper are mixed in.

This gratin is flavored with sharp Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses and smoky bits of bacon. Use other pasta besides elbow macaroni for a different look.

Olives are stuffed with a spicy beef mixture and then simmered in a piquant harissa-spiked tomato sauce. The stuffed olives make a lovely party nibble.

Gravadlax, or gravlax, is thinly slice and mounded on squares of brown bread. It’s easy to cure your own gravlax at home. All you need are salt, sugar, and spices–and, of course, salmon.

Meaty shrimp stud this creamy, oozing risotto. The recipe’s flavor is deep thanks to a shrimp stock, made with the shells, which enriches the risotto.

This roasted butternut squash pie is the ideal dish to whip up when you have hearty eaters, vegetarians, and vegans coming for dinner. They’ll all love it.

Salmon mousse pinwheels are an elegant way to kick off a tea, cocktail party, or dinner. The pinwheels can be made ahead and sliced just before serving.

Clams casino, the classic American dish, get a facelift here. The clams get the casino treatment with big shards of bacon, parsley, and garlic.

Clams and rice, a Croatian specialty, is simple to make. Clams and rice are tossed with olives and spooned into empty clam shells.

Baked mussels topped with bread crumbs are a Sicilian favorite. The mussels are cooked in a skillet until opened then baked until golden brown.

These eggplant wraps are a cinch make. Roasted eggplant, goat cheese, and basil are rolled in flatbread into wraps. The wraps are best at room temp.

This arugula pesto, a blend of arugula, pine nuts, and cheese, is great on pasta, fruit and pizza. If the arugula is too strong for the pesto, add spinach.

This turkey soup is brightened by ginger, lemon, and mint. Turkey soup is a great way to use leftover turkey. Leftover chicken can be used in this soup for a quick weekday meal.

Here yellow gazpacho, made from yellow beefsteak tomatoes, is paired with a ratatouille. The yellow gazpacho can be made ahead. Serve the gazpacho icy cold.

Bell peppers are slowly simmered then served warm with a garlic-anchovy bagna cauda sauce over them. Use leftover bagna cauda on other vegetables.

Falafel with tahini sauce is one of the best-known Middle Eastern foods. The falafel are packed with herbs and the tangy tahini sauce has the right kick.

These Roquefort walnut shortbreads are an elegant appetizer. The shortbreads can also serve as cocktail nibbles. Use a quality Roquefort for best results.

A mix of wild mushrooms topped with an herbed cheese filled with parsley, thyme, chives, and garlic makes for a great tapas or starter.

Calamari a la plancha is squid cooked over a very hot plate–in this case, cast iron skillets. This calamari recipes takes all of 20 minutes to make.

These goat cheese quesadillas are filled with plenty of cheese, olive tapanade, and grilled radicchio. A simple recipe that the whole family will love.

These stuffed potato shells, or stuffed potato patties, are filled with savory-spicy Indian ingredients are served with three flavor-packed sauces.

Salt cod, a favorite in Spain, is folded into a warm mashed potatoes that are spiked with garlic and smoothed with olive oil. Perfect for hors d’oeuvre.

Piquillo peppers from Spain are stuffed with ground beef for a simple tapas. They can be coated in egg and flour then deep fried for an elegant take.

This is the perfect summer tart recipe. It showcases ripe heirloom tomatoes, fresh corn, and basil, and the tangy goat cheese pulls it all together.