The much-ballyhooed Italian Christmas classic, Feast of the Seven Fishes, stars one fish in Domenica Marchetti’s home. Calamari. And it’s the centerpiece of her Christmas Eve dinner.

Sufficiently creamy and indulgent to feel worthy of a special occasion. Yet made from pantry staples and completely doable on a weeknight.

A better way to start your day. Uh, we mean, end your day. That’s what we meant. Yes. End it. Ahem.

A gooey, sweet, classic bread made from pull-apart blobs of brioche dough coated in a buttery, cinnamony caramel sauce that’s gonna distract you in the best possible way.

This list highlights some of our favorite sophisticated and splendid entrées. Get ready to pull out all the stops and win the holidays!

Panettone, which makes its traditional Italian Christmas appearance, is gussied up here with any dried fruit you fancy. An ever so slight twist on a classic.

All fancied up for the holidays, these boast all the perfectly-crisp-on-the-outside-tender-on-the-inside awesomeness of traditional potato latkes as well as a few surprises.

Because if you can’t indulge at the holidays, when can you? No matter what your holidays look like, these desserts will help bring a little festive flair.

This gingerbread cheesecake tastes like the classic Christmas spices of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove in each and every bite of this simple yet stunning dessert.

A startlingly spectacular made-from-scratch cheese Danish that is going to forever change your notion of what a cheese Danish ought to be.

Just like what your grandma would put on the table for Sunday night dinner. (Don’t you love how food instantly transports you through time?!)

Hanukkah recipes that ensure you celebrate with unleashed gusto each day (and night) of Hanukkah. Because there’s still much to celebrate with your loved ones.

No need to get up hours ahead to produce a cinnamon-y sweet coffee cake, still warm from the oven. Mix it all ahead and pop it in the oven when you wake up. It’s that easy, ya’ll!

These red chile pork tamales are the real authentic Mexican deal and taste like they were carefully crafted by the loveliest abuela imaginable. Here’s how to make them.

This year’s gift basket is filled with sausages, cheese, salt cod, pastes, snacks, and sweets. Plus my Taste of Portugal spice blend. Happy holidays!

These butter and cream cheese pastries are filled with cinnamon-sugared nuts, a slick of jam, currants, and a handful of chopped chocolate.

Warmly spiced, roasted cauliflower gets drizzled with a tangy-sweet dressing, making it an irresistible, healthy (and vegan) side dish. Who loves you?

Sugar cookies. Gingerbread people. Shortbread. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

A traditional Azorean dish that boasts meltingly tender oven-braised beef, potatoes, chouriço, and onions. It’s a rustic, homey, Sunday supper sorta dish from David’s VERY Portuguese mom.

These chewy hermit bars are a revelation. They’re wonderfully spicy, plumped with raisins, and amazingly chewy–even fudge-like.