Midwest Living Holiday Cookbook 2003

Raisins dot the sauce and plump up as they're heated in this easy ham topper. Start with a spiral-sliced ham, and be sure to plan on leftovers to use in sandwiches and soups.

Baked Holiday Spiral Ham with Raisin Sauce

Dish up this colorful main-dish soup with just half an hour of prep time and 20 minutes of simmering. The recipe comes from a Bayfield, Wisconsin, restaurant.

Chef Bill's Beef-Barley Soup

Roasted red sweet peppers fleck this dip with a festive crimson touch. Serve the warm, cheese-filled appetizer with bread or pita wedges, or some water crackers.

Hot Artichoke and Asiago Cheese Dip

The recipe for these spiced cutout cookies comes from the Goldmoor Inn near Galena, Illinois. Decorate with Royal Icing. While the cookies are still warm, make a small hole in the top for a satin ribbon, which lets you use the cookie an ornament or gift.

Gingerbread Man Cookies

Caramel and pecans form a gooey base for this chocolate dream pie. Make this decadent pie at least a day ahead so it has plenty of time to chill before guests arrive.

Caramel-Pecan French Silk Pie

This creamy, rich dessert comes from Courtright's Restaurant in Willow Springs, Illinois. Although the restaurant puts a solid crust of caramelized sugar on its creme brulee, we made it easier for you and drizzled it on.

Pumpkin Spice Creme Brulee

If your holiday diners are in the mood for beef, try this marinated flank steak with rich mushroom sauce. The recipe comes from Camp Ticonderoga in Troy, Michigan, where the cathedral ceiling, cobblestone fireplaces and wood floors remind visitors of an early 1900s Adirondack lodge.

Montana Broil

Mint, limejuice, rum and honey bathe this fruit mixture in fresh flavors.

Fresh Fruit Salad with Honey-Rum Dressing

For this moist roast bird, we borrowed a couple of tricks from Cincinnati, Ohio, chef Paul Sturkey: basting with butter and cooking with broth in the pan. Serve with Paul's Cranberry-Pear Chutney (next slide).

Holiday Turkey