A smooth and creamy hummus blended with roasted red peppers, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. Served with pita chips and fresh vegetables for game day snacking.

Baked crispy tortillas spread with homemade refried beans and topped with a vibrant salad of romaine, tomatoes, olives, beets, and Parmesan in chipotle vinaigrette. A fresh, colorful So-Cal-style tostada that delivers satisfying crunch and bold Southwestern flavor in every bite.

A buttery pecan shortbread crust layered with tangy cranberry-pomegranate filling and a crumbly cinnamon-sugar topping. A jewel-toned holiday dessert that makes a beautiful and portable addition to any Thanksgiving feast.

This is a mid-week can't miss meal features a Valerie fave ingredient, chicken thighs, and transforms them into the most delectable Chicken Parm you'll ever eat.

Equal parts bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol, and fresh grapefruit juice are shaken together and strained into a coupe glass. This perfectly balanced modern classic cocktail delivers bittersweet, citrusy complexity in a deceptively simple equal-parts formula.

No-bake brownie bites made with graham crackers, coconut, walnuts, chocolate chips, and condensed milk. Rolled in powdered sugar for a sweet, fudgy finger-food dessert.

Grapefruit juice and lemon vodka shaken with pomegranate juice and served in a glass rimmed with grapefruit-zest sugar. A tart, rosy cocktail that shakes off the travel blues and welcomes you home in style.

Flatbread pizzas topped with a vibrant Tuscan kale pesto and melted fontina cheese, finished with wine-and-chile shrimp scampi. A creative, dinner-party-worthy pizza that brings together earthy greens and succulent shrimp for an unforgettable social evening.

Puff pastry is spread with fig jam and grated Manchego cheese, cut into strips, twisted into elegant straws, egg-washed, and baked at 400 degrees until flaky and golden. These sweet-savory, crunchy pastry straws make a stunning yet effortless appetizer that pairs beautifully with cocktails and conversation.

Plump shrimp simmered in a spicy coconut-tomato broth with white wine and chicken broth. A bold, aromatic main course with global flavors.