(Family Features) At this year’s holiday gatherings, you can put together a showstopping menu from the beginning of the party to the final bite with mouthwatering recipes that bring guests back for more. It all starts with beef, a versatile, beloved ingredient that can be used in appetizers, sides and main courses alike.

Consider these holiday favorites from Beef Loving Texans, including a must-have main course like Classic Beef Wellington. Perfect for a family get-together, this traditional dish combines tender chateaubriand roast with a homemade glaze of earthy mushrooms, red wine and Dijon mustard wrapped in a golden-brown puff pastry.

If you’re serving a group, Top Sirloin Roast with Herb Garlic Peppercorn Crust is ideal for sharing and provides an eye-catching centerpiece at the dining room table.

Before bringing out the main course, however, there’s an important aspect of seasonal parties that calls everyone to the kitchen: savory appetizers. You can invite your guests to share an option like Holiday Mini Beef Meatball Skewers with Cranberry Barbecue Sauce, a festive, easy-to-make favorite that can tide the cravings of a hungry crowd.

Find more beef-inspired holiday dishes at BeefLovingTexans.com.

Classic Beef Wellington

Recipe courtesy of Beef Loving Texans
Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Servings: 4

• 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 1 chateaubriand tenderloin roast
• 8 ounces mushrooms
• 1 large shallot
• 2 tablespoons dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• flour
• 1 sheet puff pastry

1. In large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/2 teaspoon oil until hot. Combine salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Press evenly onto all surfaces of roast. Place roast in skillet; brown evenly. Remove roast from skillet.
2. Heat oven to 425 F.
3. In food processor, pulse mushrooms and shallot about 10 times until finely chopped. Do not overprocess.
4. Place same skillet used for roast over medium-high heat and heat remaining oil until hot. Add mushrooms and shallot; cook 4-6 minutes until tender and all liquid is evaporated, stirring often. Add wine; cook 2-3 minutes until all liquid is evaporated. Stir in mustard, thyme and remaining pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes. Remove from skillet to medium bowl; cool.
5. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place in oven. On lightly floured cutting board, unfold pastry dough. Roll pastry out to 12-by-9-inch rectangle; lay dough with shortest edge toward you. Spread mushroom mixture onto pastry dough, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Place roast in center of mushrooms. Fold pastry dough neatly around roast, stretching dough if necessary. Cut off excess pastry dough; press to seal overlapping edges.
6. Remove baking sheet from oven and dust lightly with flour. Place pastry-wrapped roast, seam-side down, on baking sheet. Cut four (2-inch) vents in top of pastry.
7. Bake 35-50 minutes, or until golden brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 135 F for medium-rare or 150 F for medium. Transfer roast to carving board. Let stand 10 minutes. Temperature will rise about 10 F to reach 145 F for medium-rare or 160F for medium.
8. Carve into slices and serve.

Top Sirloin Roast with Herb Garlic Peppercorn Crust

Recipe courtesy of Beef Loving Texans
Total time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8

• 1 center-cut sirloin beef roast (about 3 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Seasoning:

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground mixed peppercorns (black, white, green and pink)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Rub roast with olive oil.
3. To make seasoning: In small bowl, combine salt, parsley, thyme, garlic and mixed peppercorns; press evenly into beef roast.
4. Place roast in roasting pan or baking dish with wire rack in bottom. Bake 40-60 minutes. Remove roast when meat thermometer registers 135 F for medium-rare or 150 F for medium.
5. Transfer roast to carving board; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 10-15 minutes. Temperature will rise about 10 F to reach 145 F for medium-rare or 160 F for medium.
6. Carve roast into slices by cutting against grain.

Holiday Mini Beef Meatball Skewers with Cranberry Barbecue Sauce

Recipe courtesy of Beef Loving Texans
Total time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup fresh zucchini, grated
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 small yellow onion, diced 1/2 inch
• 2 red bell peppers, diced 1/2 inch
• 2 green bell peppers, diced 1/2 inch
• 12 skewers (6 inches)

Cranberry Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 can (16 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce
• 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In medium bowl, lightly mix ground beef, zucchini, egg, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined. Shape into 24 1-inch meatballs. Alternately thread meatballs, onions, red peppers and green peppers onto skewers. Place skewers on shallow-rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake 22-25 minutes, or until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatball registers 160 F.
4. To make cranberry barbecue sauce: In medium saucepan, combine cranberry sauce and barbecue sauce; simmer 5 minutes, or until flavors blend.
5. Drizzle sauce over skewers or serve as dipping sauce.

Source: Beef Loving Texans

(Family Features) Holiday hosting is all about providing guests a cozy atmosphere, good company and, quite often most importantly, food that tastes as good as it looks. While mixing and matching quality ingredients for dishes that appeal to the crowd is key to achieving successful seasonal flavors, you can take it a step further with the kitchen equipment used to craft those crave-worthy meals.

Cookware that boosts the flavor profiles of holiday dishes can take your hosting to the next level, and these recipes from chef Chris Scott of soul food restaurant Butterfunk Kitchen highlight the importance of the tools you use.

Served as the main course, Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables and Apples combines the savory taste of pork with sweet apples for classic complementary flavors. Paired with Scott’s Cauliflower Rice and Beans, this menu offers flavors that both comfort and surprise. That enjoyment can be heightened by the cook’s experience when he or she uses equipment like Anolon Accolade Cookware to bring the dishes to life. Made with metal strategically placed where it’s most needed for efficient heat distribution and optimized cooking results, the cookware’s triple-layer nonstick coating inside and out translates to easy food release and cleanup, ensuring the delight lasts from cooking to clean-up.

Whether enjoyed as dessert or a morning treat, Cinnamon Rolls with Dried Cranberries and Pecans serve up a combination of soft, warm dough with a pecan crunch to satisfy each guest’s sweet tooth.

For those holiday delights that require time in the oven, an option like the Anolon Eminence Bakeware line provides heavy-duty steel construction and rolled rims for even heating, durability and warp resistance for an elegant and sophisticated look that’s as practical as it is appealing.

Find more holiday recipes and kitchen solutions at anolon.com.

Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables and Apples

Recipe courtesy of Chris Scott on behalf of Anolon Cookware
Yield: 4 servings

• Anolon Accolade Saute Pan
• 1          tablespoon olive oil
• 1          pork tenderloin (8 ounces), cleaned
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 3          carrots, peeled and cut into pieces
• 2          apples, cut into wedges
• 4          baby bliss potatoes, halved
• 1          leek, cleaned and halved
• 3          cups apple cider
• 1/4       cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4       cup brown sugar

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Heat saute pan over medium-high heat; add olive oil. Season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper, to taste, and sear on all sides until brown.
2. In same pan, add carrots, apples, potatoes and leek. Reduce heat to medium and cook 3 minutes until vegetables have some color.
3. Deglaze pan with apple cider, apple cider vinegar and brown sugar.
4. Put pan in oven and cook 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven.
5. Remove pork from pan and let rest on cutting board. Put saute pan with vegetables and liquid back in oven 3 minutes until liquid is reduced and syrupy. Vegetables should be well glazed when finished.
6. Slice pork and plate. To serve, place glazed vegetables and pan drippings over meat.

Cinnamon Rolls with Dried Cranberries and Pecans

Recipe courtesy of Chris Scott on behalf of Anolon Cookware
Yield: 24 cinnamon rolls

Cinnamon Rolls:

• Anolon Accolade Saucepan
• 2          cups milk
• 1/2       cup water
• 1/2       cup butter
• 1/3       cup cornmeal
• 2          teaspoons salt
• 7          cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2          packages (4 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 2          eggs

Topping:

• 2          cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2       cup butter
• 1/2       cup milk
• 1          cup chopped pecans

Filling:

• 1/4       cup butter, softened
• 2          tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2       cup sugar
• 1          cup dried cranberries
• 1          cup chopped pecans

1. To make Cinnamon Rolls: In saucepan, combine milk, water, butter, cornmeal and salt; bring to boil, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool to 120-130° F.
2. In separate bowl, combine 2 cups flour and yeast. Add cooled cornmeal mixture and, using mixer, beat on low until smooth. Add eggs and 1 cup flour; mix 1 minute. Stir in remaining flour, as necessary, to form soft dough.
3. Turn dough onto floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. To make Topping: In saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and milk; bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Pour into greased baking pan. Sprinkle with pecans; set aside.
5. Heat oven to 375° F.
6. To make Filling: Punch dough down, divide in half. Roll each half into rectangle; spread with softened butter. Combine cinnamon and sugar; sprinkle heavily over butter. Sprinkle cranberries and pecans over top. Roll up dough from one side. Pinch seams and turn ends under. Cut each roll into 12 slices. Place slices cut-side down in baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
7. Bake 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool about 1 minute. Invert onto serving platter.

Holiday Cauliflower Rice and Beans

Recipe courtesy of Chris Scott on behalf of Anolon Cookware
Yield: 8 servings

• Large Anolon Accolade Skillet
• 1          large head cauliflower
• 1/4       cup butter
• 1/2       cup black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1          tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 2          tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1/3       cup dried cranberries
• 1          cup roasted butternut squash, diced
• 1          tablespoon fresh chopped sage

1. Wash and thoroughly dry cauliflower; remove all greens.
2. Use box grater and grate into “rice.”
3. Using skillet, heat butter until melted and beginning to become toasty. Add cauliflower rice and cook until soft, constantly stirring. Add black eyed peas, Cajun seasoning and parsley; stir and cover with lid. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes. Add dried cranberries, roasted butternut squash and sage.

Source: Anolon

Watch this video to see how to make this delicious recipe!