Century Christmas Pudding

This November, Toronto teacher Trish Gresham and her family will make this rich, traditional pudding for the 70th consecutive year in Canada. Her mother, Lilian Rollinson, brought the recipe — already a family tradition for 30 years — from England in 1932. Trish serves it with hard sauce, while her sister, Pamela Scott, simply pours cold whipping cream over top.

Polka-Dot Lemon Sugar Cookies

Spring-themed sugar cookies (such as bunny, carrot, duck, egg and butterfly shapes) welcome the season. Paste food colouring works best for creating pastel hues. Go for multicoloured polka-dots or choose just one colour and white. You'll need many piping bags, but if you have only one, use plastic sandwich bags, cutting away a corner tip of each to pipe through.

Crêpes with Feta, Scrambled Eggs and Zucchini Tomato Salsa

Cranberry Pear Meringue Nests

For an unforgettable finale, treat your guests to their very own cranberry-filled meringue nests. A boozy whipped cream, known as a syllabub, makes a festive topping.

Rice & Sausage-Stuffed Tomatoes

The last of summer's bounty, sun-ripened tomatoes are absolutely divine. With options for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, this recipe is a surefire crowd-pleaser.

Ganache-Filled Chocolates

Tempering chocolate takes time, patience and a candy thermometer, but it gives beautiful results. The chocolates become smooth and shiny, and yield with a satisfying snap when you bite into them. Use the best quality chocolate you can find for these indulgent treats, and your favourite liqueur for the ganache centres. Frangelico, Kahlúa, Tia Maria and amaretto are good options.

Apple and Chestnut-Stuffed Roast Goose

Although turkey has far surpassed goose as Canada's favourite Christmas bird, goose is still the traditional roast for many people of Northern, Central and Eastern European descent. For lovers of tasty dark meat, nothing quite compares.

O Canada Cupcakes

Show your patriotic spirit with red and white iced cupcakes. Don't forget the flag. If you want maple leaves, pour melted red (candy) moulding wafers into moulds for chocolate.

Spinach and Feta Pie

The key to this rustic vegetarian pie filled with classic Greek flavours is the pastry: it's made with extra-virgin olive oil. You can make the pie up to five days ahead and serve it warm or at room temperature.

Elegant Almond Wedding Cake

This two-tiered wedding cake is beautiful in its simplicity and classic style. Use double-sided tape to attach the ribbon ends at the back of the cake and be sure to wrap the stems of the flowers with floral tape before inserting them into the cake.