If the holidays have you scrambling for party-worthy grub, consider crostini (Italian for bread with stuff piled on it).

The beauty of crostini is that the components often can be prepared ahead of time. The bread, for example, can be sliced, drizzled with olive oil and toasted up to a day in advance. Just let the slices cool completely and store them in an airtight container until needed.

With the bread out of the way, all you need to do is sort out what to put on it. You can go the easy route and smear some soft goat cheese over each slice, then sprinkle them with fresh thyme leaves and drizzle them with honey.

Or you could top each with a folded slice of prosciutto and a sliver of Parmesan cheese. Pop them in a 300 Fahrenheit (150 Celsius) oven for 5 minutes, or until just warmed through (but don't let the cheese melt).
Sweet and savory work well, too. Try a smear of cream cheese topped with pepper jelly and thinly sliced scallion. Or substitute a bit of smoked salmon for the jelly for a bagel and lox treatment.

So maybe you can have your New Year's resolutions and your cake, too. This brownie recipe from Alicia Silverstone's 'The Kind Diet' -- a beautifully photographed ode to healthier eating -- is whole grain and vegan, but tastes decadent.

If you buy raw walnuts, toast them by spreading them on a baking sheet. Place them in a 350 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the nuts are lightly browned and fragrant. Stir the nuts once or twice as they toast.

Dinner parties go hand in hand with the holidays, but if you're not a vegetarian, the thought of cooking for (or eating with) someone who won't touch meat or meat products can seem pretty daunting. Being the only vegetarian at the table can get awkward too; nobody wants to be a bother. It's especially bad when that brazen house-guest to your right won't drop the jokes about how tofu looks like play dough and how carrots feel pain.

Homemade hors d'oeuvres beat out-of-the-box frozen any day. And while your guests are sure to appreciate the personal touch, it's the savings to your entertaining budget that will have you smiling.

On average, frozen party nibbles cost between $5 and $7 per dozen. This recipe for baked new potato halves topped with roast beef and horseradish cream can be prepared in about 30 minutes for about $2.50 per dozen.

For convenience, the potatoes can be baked a few hours ahead so you can quickly reheat them and assemble the hors d'oeuvres as needed. If you like, use sliced pastrami, corned beef or even deli sliced roast turkey instead of the roast beef.

The trouble with light entrees is that low-fat proteins generally are at the heart of the dish. While this is great for your health, it often is wanting in flavour. How to make it work? The secret can be in the sauce.

As long as you don't go crazy with the butter and cream, sauces can be a stealthy healthy tool for adding tons of flavour and moisture.

There are several ways to make a sauce that is both flavourful and low in calories and fat.

When you cook a chicken breast, steak, pork chop and most other lean proteins in a saute pan, you generally end up with some browned, caramelized bits called fond stuck to the bottom of the pan.

That fond can be turned into a flavourful sauce. Just remove the meat from the pan, return the pan to the heat, add some liquid, then use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom. The resulting sauce can be seasoned, then simmered down until thickened.

This process - called deglazing - can be done with wine, broth or even water. If you like, before you deglaze you also can brown some aromatics, such as chopped shallots or onions, in the pan to add even more flavour.

Food is an important part of any holiday celebration--and what better dish to serve to your hungry family that stout-braised short ribs!

Ribs improve in flavour when braised, especially when done a day or so in advance. To do ahead, cook as directed, then cool the ribs completely, uncovered. Once cool, cover and refrigerate. To serve, reheat the ribs covered in a 350 F oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Serve with buttered egg noodles tossed with chopped fresh parsley, or mashed potatoes or rice.

While you may not be able to update your house decor, makeover your family or befriend celebrities in time for your annual New Year's party, you can still up your rank in the hippest host stakes this season. The easiest way? Offer some creative new libations to your party goers. These suggestions will add some sparkle to your traditional soiree.