There is entertaining, and there is entertaining. I hosted a formal cocktail party this past weekend for over 40 of my friends, with my event proving to be the latter. The dress code called for "sparkly attire", and I donned my mother's black velvet vintage couture dress, paired with big hair and lots of costume baubles! In keeping with a retro theme, I pulled out all of the stops, including a traditional Southern menu served in my mom's best silver. Here's a look at one of the hit recipes of the night — a cocktail meatball that needs no improvement. More

Q: My husband has decided that we're having beef tenderloin for Christmas dinner. The only problem is, I've never made one before! I cook a lot from The Joy of Cooking so that's about my cooking level. Dinner is casual, but spruced up a bit for Christmas, with 8 people total. Do your readers have any recipes or ideas? More

Oh, meatballs. The ultimate comfort food. The food that reminds you of home, that satisfies after a hard day, that while slowly simmering away makes the house smell irresistible They make a fine appetizer, a winning supper with pasta, and a satisfying lunch on sandwiches. So what are our favorite recipes? More

Pot roast may be the definitive braised weekend dish, its rich beefy smell bringing back Sunday family suppers and autumn evenings. I love the meaty taste of pot roast just falling to pieces in its braising liquid, but I don't always have a whole weekend day to devote to the slow, careful cooking that a big roast needs to become tender. So here's a twist on the usual oversized pot roast: Individual-sized pieces of beef that cook much more quickly, but still have that melting, slow-cooked quality. More

Cooking ground beef until it's browned and tender is the first step to many of our favorite comfort food recipes, from shepherd's pie to spicy chili. It's a pretty straightforward process, but just in case you'd like a refresher, here's how I do it. More

When the temperature takes a permanent nosedive and fall is starting to look a lot more like winter, shepherd's pie is one of the first things that I crave. One enormous square of this casserole, with its blanket of mashed potatoes and that savory meat-and-vegetable filling, sends a sigh of contentment through my whole body. One casserole makes more than enough for my household of two, so I can look forward to comfort meals all week long. More

Meat can be one of the biggest expenses when hosting a dinner party, but that doesn't mean you have to cut it out completely if you're trimming your entertaining budget this year. In fact, cheaper cuts of meat are often juicier, more flavorful, and easier to make ahead, which makes them ideal for entertaining. And as the recipes below prove, they can be just as elegant and impressive as their more expensive counterparts. More

Q: I purchased half a local cow and have been working through all the cuts of meat. I'm having fun using ALL the parts and have picked out all the usable meat. I now have an entire gallon bag full of pulled beef and need ideas on how to use it, as BBQ gets boring quickly. Any suggestions?

Sent by Lillian More

At any given time I have several pounds of ground beef stockpiled in my freezer. It's easy to panic and make chili or tacos again, so here are 10 new recipes to tickle your tastebuds with this common freezer staple. Did I mention one of them looks like sushi? More