I won’t lie. It takes a little work to assemble these potato bites, but I promise you they are well worth it. The holidays are quickly approaching, and with that comes the need for fun, tasty finger food for festive entertaining. Look no further than these twice-baked potato poppers. They are a crowd-pleasing appetizer you can serve at a Halloween party, while watching the big football game or at a fireside cocktail gathering. And, yes, while they are time-consuming to assemble, they can easily be prepared well in advance of serving and then popped into the oven at the last minute. So go on, roll up your sleeves and make a double batch -- because these cheesy potato poppers are guaranteed to be a hit.

Cheddar and Horseradish Potato Poppers

Active time: 45 minutes

Total time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

Yield: makes 20 poppers

20 round small potatoes, 1 to 1 1/4 inch in diameter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1/4 cup sour cream or whole milk Greek yogurt

1/4 cup (packed) finely grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons (packed) finely grated fresh horseradish

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup (packed) finely grated parmesan cheese

Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Trim the potatoes: Slice a small tip off of each potato to create a flat bottom for the potatoes to stand without rolling or tilting. Slice about 1/4 off of the tops and discard the tops. Place the potatoes in a medium bowl with the oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, top-side down. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove and set aside until cool to the touch.

Using a teaspoon, gently scoop out the centers of the potatoes without piercing the bottoms. Place the potato flesh, sour cream, cheddar cheese, butter, horseradish, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a bowl. Using a fork, mash until well combined. Carefully spoon the filling back into the potato shells, mounding the stuffing.

Arrange the potatoes, stuffed-side up, on a baking sheet. (The potatoes may be prepared up to 6 hours in advance to this point. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Top each potato with a generous pinch of parmesan cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake until the potatoes are hot and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Serve warm, garnished with fresh thyme.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Years ago, I started a simple family food tradition. We lived in Europe, and I wanted to share with my children a tradition from my childhood: Sunday pancakes. Not Swedish pancakes, not French crepes, but good old American-style pancakes doused with maple syrup.

Each Sunday, I would make our pancakes from scratch (no such thing as a mix in Europe), and my children would help out, stirring the batter, flipping the cakes, and arguing over who would stand on the stool next to the stove. Eventually my children didn't need a stool, and then they lost interest in making the pancakes, but they never lost interest in eating them.

We moved from Switzerland to London and eventually to Copenhagen, and with each move, we packed our belongings, our memories and our family traditions, only to unpack and arrange them in our new home, carefully placing and comforting ourselves with the familiar, while reassuring ourselves with our rituals. The first morning we woke in our new house, we would make Sunday pancakes, even if it was Monday or any other day, because some rituals are that important.

I still make Sunday pancakes from time to time. Whenever I can, I try to slip some healthy grains into the batter, because, after all, that’s the motherly thing to do. Sometimes I substitute a little almond flour, whole-wheat or kamut flour in the mix. The whole-grain flours add a nuttier density to the pancakes, while the almond flour is lighter. Fortunately, all of these substitutions have passed the Sunday morning pancake taste-test. (It can be tricky messing with a family tradition, after all.) In this recipe, you can simply omit the whole-wheat or almond flour and use 2 cups all-purpose flour, if desired.

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat or almond flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly whisked

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for cooking

Whisk the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, egg and butter together in a separate bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and stir to combine without over-mixing.

Melt a nob of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Scoop or pour large spoonfuls of the batter into pan. Cook the pancakes until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes, flipping once. Serve warm with maple syrup.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

It took me a long while to make puttanesca sauce, the feisty Italian tomato sauce packed with sharp, pungent and briny flavors. I admit it was the anchovies that gave me pause. While I don't mind anchovies in moderation, I don't liberally cook with them, either, foolishly reverting to a childhood bias against their salty fishiness. I should know better.

Anchovies are a magical ingredient, a bright star in the cuisines of the Mediterranean and Asia (think fish sauce). When used in moderation, anchovies melt into a dish, amplifying its overall flavor and producing an elusive umami quality that keeps us digging in for more. Anchovies work particularly well when combined with other strong ingredients, which is why they are a marvelous component in puttanesca sauce, which teems with tomatoes, olives, garlic, chili flakes and capers.

Puttanesca sauce is often served with pasta, but it’s also delicious with fish. In this recipe it complements briny, sweet shrimp. I tweaked it to make a fresher rendition, with whole grape (or cherry) tomatoes replacing canned plum tomatoes. Simply cook them long enough so that they begin to break down and release their juices. A splash of white wine adds the extra moisture needed for the sauce. If desired, you can serve the shrimp puttanesca over pasta or rice. This makes an easy weeknight dinner and can be prepared in about 30 minutes.

Shrimp Puttanesca

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

20 to 24 large shrimp, shelled and deveined

Salt

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 anchovy filets, chopped

1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes

1 pound grape tomatoes, halved if large

1/3 cup pitted Kalamata or oil-cured olives, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons capers, drained and rinsed

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp in one layer and lightly season with salt. Cook until pink on both sides and barely cooked through the centers (they will continue to cook in the sauce), about 4 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, anchovies and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, olives, white wine, tomato paste, capers and black pepper. Cook until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently to break up the tomatoes.

Nestle the shrimp into the sauce and simmer until thoroughly cooked and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Serve warm with crusty bread.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS