Alcohol

A drink that can also stand in for dessert.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Jamie Oliver's book Happy Days with the Naked Chef. For Oliver's Valentine's Day tips, click here. This great little cocktail was made by the barman after my mate Ben and I started working at Monte's.

Forget pie: Strawberry and rhubarb are together again in a whole new way. (Use purchased crepes if you're short on time.)

A rich, aromatic (and potent) version of hot buttered rum.

This dish is great alongside the Lemony Chicken Milanese .

Here, rhubarb becomes a sweet-tart stuffing and sauce for roast chicken. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Stout makes the beef taste beefier in this chili. For best results, pick out a five-pound boneless chuck roast and have the butcher grind it for you. WHAT TO DRINK: Sam Adams Cream Stout has a malty sweetness that's just right.

The duck marinates overnight in a spice rub, so start this recipe one day ahead.

Brasato (which means "braised" in Italian) is the ultimate pot roast.

Brasato al Barolo There is a bit of a contradiction inherent in this homey dish: Barolo isn't exactly a cheap cooking wine. Not to worry: The less-expensive bottles recommended below will produce an equally unctuous result.

For something refreshing after a rich meal, look no further than this classic combination of Campari and grapefruit.

Editor's note: This recipe was created by Erika Lenkert, author of the book, The Last-Minute Party Girl: Fashionable, Fearless, and Foolishly Simple Entertaining. For Lenkert's tips on throwing a last-minute New Year's Eve party, click here. I adore this cocktail recipe because it's refreshing, pretty, and has subtly mint and cucumber flavors that will keep everyone guessing at exactly what's in it. You can dress it up for an evening fete by straining it and serving it up with edible gold or silver flecks as it is done here, or dress it down by throwing everything — mint, cucumber slices, and all — into a serving pitcher. Best of all, you can skip squeezing limes all day by using limeade concentrate. Shhhh. It'll be our secret.

Pamplemousse is the French word for grapefruit, which is one of the main ingredients in this vodka drink.

What to drink: Stick with beer — choose a dark, medium-bodied lager with a hint of sweetness, like Shiner Bock from Shiner, Texas ($6 per six-pack).

Doughnuts meet bananas Foster in this playful dessert.

This drink was featured as a Cocktail of the Month. Click here to learn more about eggnog.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Aglaia Kremezi's book, The Foods of the Greek Islands. As Kremezi explains, this special cake is enjoyed on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day and has the potential to be lucky. Vassilopita On New Year's Eve or after the family lunch on the first day of the New Year, the father of the family cuts into this rich and aromatic cake, which has the year written in almonds on top and a lucky coin secreted inside. A piece is distributed to each family member, starting with the older ones, and whoever gets the symbolic coin is rewarded with a gift of money and starts the year with an advantage. The basic recipe always contains orange juice, eggs, butter (a luxury in the old days) or margarine and brandy. Like our family, most islanders bake this fragrant cake just once a year. This is my mother's recipe. Serve it on its own for breakfast or as a snack with coffee, tea or a glass of orange juice.