Recipes with light cream (half&half)

Seafood quiche squares are a party favorite: a flaky crescent-roll crust topped with shrimp, crab and two cheeses, baked in a custard and cut into bite-size squares. Easy, crowd-feeding finger food, served warm.

Caramel nut thumbprint cookies combine cocoa dough rolled in pecans with gooey caramel centers. A holiday cookie-tray favorite with chocolate, nut, and caramel in one bite.

Hot apple soup pureed from a mix of tart Granny Smith and sweet McIntosh apples with cinnamon, nutmeg and a swirl of cream. Vegetarian, ready in under an hour. A Fall soup that doubles as brunch.

Whole wheat penne in a creamy tomato-vodka sauce with crispy pancetta, garlic, a kick of cayenne, and fresh basil. Your new favorite weeknight penne alla vodka.

A scrumptious squash casserole that's healthy for you and doesn't take a lot to make!

Scotch whisky trifle layered with espresso-caramel custard, Scotch-soaked pound cake, raspberry jam, fresh raspberries, bananas, and whipped cream topped with chocolate.

Mozzarella-crusted chicken breasts over angel hair pasta with a sherry cream sauce packed with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and Parmesan. Italian restaurant vibes at home.

This cut-out cookie from Bev Bosveld of Waupun is dressed up with chewy oats and crushed peppermint for a pleasing result.

Seafood bisque started as a New year's Eve dinner tradition, New Year's 2010.

Lamb and apple pie with mushrooms, carrots, and apple cider under golden puff pastry. A savory British-style meat pie with autumn flavors baked until flaky.

Reuben quiche in pastry crust packs all the flavors of a New York deli sandwich into a flaky pie shell: shredded corned beef, drained sauerkraut, melted Swiss, and a mustard-spiked egg custard. Brunch and dinner all at once.

A creamy chowder loaded with baby clams, shrimp, potatoes, corn, and red bell pepper in a buttery fennel-scented broth finished with half-and-half. Bowl-to-table in 40 minutes.

Green banana gratin with chicken broth, cheddar cheese and breadcrumb topping. Savory Caribbean-style baked banana casserole in 60 minutes.

Old-fashioned cream of lima bean soup simmered low and slow with butter, paprika, and a touch of cream. Thick, hearty, and full of homestyle comfort in every bowl.

Surprise-center butter cookies with 4 hidden fillings: Andes mints, cherries, chocolate chips, and pecans. Each batch gets its own color-coded icing. A fun holiday baking project.

Rich, herb-loaded quiche with zucchini, basil pesto, Swiss and Monterey Jack cheese, garlic, and a touch of cayenne in a flaky pie crust. Two cheeses and pesto make this a standout brunch or dinner.