Best Recipes for Party Hosting: 25 Sophisticated-Looking Meals

This colorful tomato tart will surely impress friends; no one has to know how quickly it comes together. Basil adds a fragrant finishing touch.

Thaw frozen phyllo in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight before preparing the recipe.

Per serving: 145 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 5 g mono); 9 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 1 g fiber; 324 mg sodium; 109 mg potassium; added sugars

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 fat

Scaling Disclaimer: EatingWell recipes are tested extensively in the EatingWell Test Kitchen....

For this elegant dish, boneless chicken breast and asparagus are smothered in a luxurious white-wine sauce with just the right amount of melted Gruyère cheese. Tarragon and lemon add a delicious light flavor that is perfect with asparagus.

Note: It can be difficult to find an individual chicken breast small enough for one portion. Removing the thin strip of meat from the underside of a 5-ounce breast—the chicken tender—removes about 1 ounce of meat and yields a perfect 4-ounce portion. Wrap and freeze the tenders and when you have gathered enough, use them in a...

This is an elegant dish. Making a pocket in the chicken breast to hold the stuffing is easy, particularly if you use a good, sharp, thin-bladed knife. Browning the chicken in a skillet before baking gives it a beautiful golden color. Finishing it in the oven ensures that it cooks evenly throughout.

Per serving: 241 calories; 9 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 68 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrate; 27 g protein; 1 g fiber; 572 mg sodium; 229 mg potassium; 0 g added sugars

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 3 lean meat, 1 fat

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (36% daily...

Mustard and rosemary complement rich lamb and earthy lentils in this elegant meal. Don’t let rack of lamb intimidate you. It is simple to prepare.

Ingredient notes: For 4 people, look for a rack of lamb with 8 chops. If you find one that’s been “Frenched” (meat cut away at the tips, exposing the bone) and trimmed, you’ll only need a 1-pound rack. Otherwise, ask your butcher to prepare a 1 1/2-pound rack for you.

We like Ian’s brand of coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs, labeled “Panko breadcrumbs.” Find them in the...

This elegant broccoli and goat cheese soufflé will wow your family and friends. Soufflés are surprisingly easy to make—the only trick is getting them on the table before they deflate. Serve with: A tomato-and-fennel salad and, for dessert, fresh strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

Per serving: 253 calories; 17 g fat (8 g sat, 6 g mono); 184 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrate; 16 g protein; 1 g fiber; 397 mg sodium; 199 mg potassium; added sugars

Carbohydrate Servings: 1/2

Exchanges: 1/2 other carbohydrate, 2 medium-fat meat, 1 fat

Nutrition...

Don’t be intimidated by this fancy-looking breaded-salmon pinwheel, it’s quite easy to do. This technique works best when you use "center-cut" salmon fillet. If you don’t have a center-cut fillet or want to simplify the preparation, leave the fillet whole, spread the mayonnaise over it, top with the breadcrumb mixture and bake. To cut down on prep time, ask your fishmonger to skin the salmon for you. Serve with garlic-rosemary roasted potatoes and wilted spinach.

Ingredient note: We like Ian’s brand of coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs, labeled "Panko...

This restaurant-worthy seafood pasta dish is a snap to make and an easy way to impress guests. We like the sweet taste and extra-saucy consistency of canned diced San Marzano tomatoes in sauces like this one. Marjoram pairs well with the seafood, but basil or even parsley works too. Serve with a Caesar salad.

Per serving: 458 calories; 10 g fat (2 g sat, 6 g mono); 62 mg cholesterol; 53 g carbohydrate; 36 g protein; 8 g fiber; 733 mg sodium; 656 mg potassium; added sugars

Carbohydrate Servings: 3

Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 4 lean meat, 1 fat

Nutrition Bonus...

Herb-crusted scallops served with crispy baked leeks make an easy yet impressive dish to serve to friends. You may have seen “frizzled” or fried leeks on a restaurant menu before, but you might not guess how easy they are to make at home. Here we toss thinly sliced leeks with paprika- and garlic-seasoned flour and bake them until crispy. While the leeks bake you have time to sear the scallops. Serve with: Mashed potatoes and kale sautéed with garlic.

Per serving: 185 calories; 7 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 37 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrate; 20 g protein; 1 g...

Here’s a quick version of Coq au Vin, a red wine-braised chicken-and-vegetable stew that usually takes the better part of an afternoon to make. Serve with herbed mashed potatoes and green beans.

Per serving: 288 calories; 10 g fat (2 g sat, 6 g mono); 68 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 29 g protein; 2 g fiber; 641 mg sodium; 623 mg potassium; 0 g added sugars

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate (other), 2 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (125% daily value), Potassium (19% dv)

Scaling Disclaimer: EatingWell recipes are...

A little espresso gives a robust edge to the sweet-tart apricot glaze for this roasted pork loin. There is a 20-minute cooking range for the pork because its thickness can vary—check your roast at the earlier range of timing to make sure you don’t overcook it. Recipe by Joyce Hendley for EatingWell.

Note: Look for instant espresso powder near the other instant coffee in well-stocked supermarkets.

Per serving: 258 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 71 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrate; 25 g protein; 0 g fiber; 290 mg sodium; 390 mg potassium; 11 g added sugars...