Savory Pie and Tart

Beet salad is delicious alongside. Rewarm leftovers for lunch the next day.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

What to drink: Delicate blanc de blancs Champagne pairs well with these hors d'oeuvres.

This beautiful appetizer boasts a delicate balance of leek and cheese flavor.

This tart is delicious on its own, but the garnish of crisp raw beet shreds brings added intrigue. To slice paper-thin spirals of beet, we used a Japanese rotary device known as the Benriner spiral vegetable slicer. This gadget is available from Katagiri, tel. (212) 755-3566, and from Williams-Sonoma, tel. (800) 541-2233 (ask for the "spiral shredder").

A sophisticated presentation that is ideal for a holiday feast.

This pie uses pizza toppings as a filling. Serve it with a tossed green salad.

Here asparagus stars in a first-course tart accented with tarragon and Parmesan Cheese.

An inviting first course would be grilled or roasted vegetables tossed with olive oil and arranged on a platter with olives and spicy peppers. Buy some tiramisu for dessert.

This satisfying British staple is an excellent use for leftover mashed potatoes. You will need two cups for this recipe; bring them to room temperature before using.

Good as the centerpiece of a meatless meal.

Brian Preinfalk of Show Low, Arizona, says there’s nothing he’d rather eat on a cold winter day than one of the beef pot pies at Creasey’s Restaurant in the nearby ski resort town of Pinetop.

Prepare this in a big, colorful casserole that can go straight from the oven to the table. Sautéed or boiled green beans would be nice alongside; uncork a bottle of Chardonnay to pour with dinner.