Let “Taste of Home” help you plan your holiday parties and menus with this idea-packed cookbook. There are wonderful appetizers and beverages, company-worthy entrees, delectable breads, an array of sides and best of all dazzling, divine sweets–cookies, candies, cakes, pies and more. Included is classic fare, as well as updated twists on old-time favorites.

CHAPTERS
Intro, Festive Appetizers & Beverages, Holiday Parties, Joyful Brunches, Christmas Dinner Menus, Merry Entrees, Jolly Sides, Glorious Breads, Yuletide Cookies, Heavenly Desserts, Candy Sampler, Special Gifts of Food, Thanksgiving Gathering, Indexes.

Recipes: Caramel Cashew Clusters, Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles, Apple Cider-Glazed Ham, Cheese-Topped Roasted Vegetables, Colorful Gazpacho Salad, Herb-Crusted Prime Rib, Old English Trifle Raspberry Lemon Cake, Yorkshire Pudding with Bacon and Sage, Asiago Chicken Spread, Calzone Pinwheels, Cherry-Brandy Baked Brie, Hot Spiced Wine Shrimp Wrapped in Bacon, Warm Pomegranate Punch, Cranberry-Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, Orange Pear Jam Cracked Pepper, Cheddar Muffins, Rustic Pumpkin Bread, Almond Pistachio Baklava, Caramel Apple Cheesecake, Frozen Peppermint Delight, Holiday Walnut Torte, Au Gratin Potatoes ‘n’ Leeks, Carrot Cake, Doughnuts, Overnight Raisin French Toast, Golden Roasted Turkey, Maple-Oat Dinner Rolls, Sausage Raisin Dressing, Brown Sugar Cutouts, Cherry Kisses, Cranberry Shortbread Bars, Dark Chocolate Butterscotch Brownies, Raspberry Sandwich Spritz.

7 WINTER PARTIES The seven winter parties will be organized into 7 themes, with menus and holiday entertaining ideas (e.g. A snowflake invitation) for each. Festive Open House During the busy holiday season, it can be challenging to pick a time and date to get-together with all you friends. An open house allows people to stop by during the day when it's convenient for them. Let your open house go for 4 to 6 hours and you're sure to enjoy a casual time.

Recipes include Roast Beef and Pear Crostini, Apricot Chicken Wings, Grape Juice Sparkler, and Warm Spiced Nuts. Cocktail Party Bring on the bubbly! A spirited evening of festive cocktails and bite-size appetizers awaits. Set up the bar with cranberry mixers and deck the buffet with shrimp and crostini, it's time to mingle and be jolly with old friends and new.

Recipes include Fast Coconut Shrimp, Goat Cheese-Pesto Crostini, Bubbly Cranberry Mixer, and Orange Razzletini.

After-Caroling Warm-Up Welcome friends and family inside for a post-caroling meal. This make-ahead feast will be ready to greet you from the cold. Recipes include slow-cooked Round-Up Chili, slow-cooked Tuscan Pork Stew, Rosemary Garlic Focaccia, and Truffle Hot Chocolate Holiday Movie Night Coming to a living room near you, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Story, and more. Gather the gang, pass the pizza and cuddle up with a batch of chocolaty fudge cups for screenings of your favorite holiday classics.

Recipes include: Pizza Rusticana, Tijuana Tidbits, and Coconut-Almond Fudge Cups. Tea Party No matter how cold it is outside, a hot cup of Chai or a tangy cranberry tea makes it easy to enjoy the warmth of the season. Guests will be served platters of tea sandwiches and petite pastries, as well as poppy seed scones and Vienna Triangles to add a traditional touch to a memorable and merry tea party.

Recipes include Vanilla Chai Tea, Petite Apricot Pastries, and Turkey, Gouda & Apple Tea Sandwiches. Let It Snow Celebration If the flurry of holiday duties has you flustered, and the snow's a fallin', call up some friends for an afternoon of skiing, sledding, snowshoeing and ice skating. Afterwards, warm your bellies with some hearty fare. Recipes include Shredded Pork Sandwiches, Slow-Cooked Applesauce, and Snowmen Cookies. Lunch with Friends Let's do lunch! Because there's no better time to show your appreciation for your closet chums than during the holiday season. You can offer a delicious soup, salad and sandwich with a sophisticated holiday twist. Recipes include: Roasted Red Pepper Bisque, Spinach Festival Salad, and Grilled Cheese Supreme.

Author Biography

Catherine Cassidy, “Taste of Home "Editor-in-Chief. Catherine M. Cassidy is Editor-in-Chief of "Taste of Home.” She is responsible for driving editorial direction and product strategy across the brand's media platforms. They include “Taste of Home,” the number one food and entertaining magazine in the world; TasteofHome.com; social media; special interest publications; and cookbooks. She also is responsible for editorial direction for the magazines “Simple & Delicious "and” Healthy Cooking" and Enthusiast Brands Birds and Blooms, Country, Country Woman, Farm and Ranch Living, and Reminisce. Cassidy has toured the country as the face of “Taste of Home” for national and local TV, radio, and newspaper interviews in support of the best-selling “Taste of Home” products, including its cookbooks. Prior to joining “Taste of Home,” Cassidy served as Editor-in-Chief of “Prevention "magazine, the nation's largest health publication, at Rodale, Inc. Cassidy joined Rodale in 1986 as an associate editor in the book division, and was later named Executive Editor of Rodale's Custom Publishing division. She started her career at "Runner's World "and "Fit "magazines in Mountain View, California. Cassidy lives in Mequon, Wisconsin, with her husband and two daughters. ABOUT "TASTE OF HOME” Taste of Home is a go-to resource for the holidays and any time of the year for information on food, cooking and entertaining. Each year, thousands of great home cooks from across the United States and Canada submit more than 40,000 recipes, of which 3,000 are published in “Taste of Home "magazines and online, making Taste of Home one of the largest and most successful practitioners of user generated content. Before being published, every recipe is tested in the "Taste of Home” Test Kitchen to ensure that it can be prepared with affordable, everyday ingredients from regular grocery stores. Taste of Home content is available in print; online at Tasteofhome.com; in books; via digital download on iPad, mobile apps and Kindle; and Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Taste of Home reaches more than 57 million readers, with the "Taste of Home "magazine as well as online and live event channels.