San Francisco Chef Ryan Rollnow shares his secrets for creating the perfect charcuterie plate. Have some fun putting together a beautiful and hearty no-cook dish for your guests.
Iain Bagwell
4 of 18Iain Bagwell
Summer Vegetables with Aioli
All the colors of summer on one beautiful platter! Serve the vegetables shown here or sub in your family favorites. Vegetables are delicious chilled or at room temperature, so you can prepare everything a day or two ahead.
Karen Hatfield, chef-owner of Odys + Penelope and Sycamore Kitchen restaurants in Los Angeles, combines the best of summer produce in a sweet-and-savory crowd-pleaser of a salad.
Tomatoes in every color are tasty and beautiful. Topped with herbs and cheese, this platter is so pretty you won’t need flowers on your party table. Fresh mozzarella can easily be subbed in for the cheese.
Steve Freidkin, the chef at Texaz Grill in Phoenix, shared his technique for instantly "marinating" meat, which gives this yummy dish bonus points for speed. Family and friends will love this steak as-is, or tucked into rolls for sandwiches.
James Carrier (Food Styling: Karen Shinto; Prop Styling: Emma Star Jensen)
10 of 18James Carrier (Food Styling: Karen Shinto; Prop Styling: Emma Star Jensen)
Crisp Chicken Tacos (Tacos de Pollo)
It’s easy to make these crisp tacos for a crowd. Just ask Sunset reader Dana Anderson of Newport Beach, CA, who’s made them for as many as 50 teenagers! Add a salad or two and a bottomless bowl of tortillas chips for a memorable graduation fiesta.
This style of enchiladas is dubbed Suiza (or “Swiss”) because of all the decadent cream and cheese, and this version from Silvana Salcido Esparza, chef-owner of Barrio Café and Barrio Queen in Tucson, does not disappoint. These enchiladas freeze well so you can prepare them well in advance of graduation day.
Visit your local Mexican market, deli, or restaurant with this ingredient checklist in hand and plan a plentiful feast. Whether they're hearty or picky eaters, your guests can gladly build a burrito to their liking.
Cilantro, green onion, jalapeño, and chili powder transform purchased mayonnaise into a mouth-watering sandwich spread. Slather it on bread and top with steak that cooks up in minutes for a special graduation sandwich. Make several if you’re serving a crowd.
Don’t forget to serve something for the vegetarians in the family. But make plenty because everyone will want to try this lighter version of a comfort food classic.
Nothing says celebration like a cake loaded with sprinkles! Rosie Daykin, the talented owner of Butter Baked Goods in Vancouver shares all her baking and frosting tips so you can make the perfect cake for your graduate.
The Sunset staff gave rave reviews to the combination of sweet raspberries and rich, nutty pistachios in this cake by Rosie Daykin of Butter Baked Goods.
Photo by Thomas J. Story; written by Stephanie Spencer
17 of 18Photo by Thomas J. Story; written by Stephanie Spencer
Strawberry Rose Cupcakes
A hint of rose and strawberry infuse these cupcakes with a delicate, fragrant flavor. If possible, decorate with rose petals in your grad's school colors (or a close approximation thereof).