Iowa sushi (aka pickle wraps) is a three-ingredient Midwest party tradition: dill pickles, cream cheese, and deli ham. Here’s why it works — plus easy ways to riff on the classic for holiday parties.

My grandma, Omi, had her go-to dishes that didn’t take much time or effort to throw together on the party day, and she made them on repeat. There was always a 5-minute shrimp dip to start and a ...