Blender

Cayenne and cumin also add flavor to this rich-tasting soup.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This is traditionally served with sliced cold veal, but we also like it with turkey or as a dip for vegetables.

Julia Shure of Albany, California, writes: "This comforting soup has both cream cheese and cheddar, which give it a rich, smooth texture. While it makes an elegant first course, the soup can also be a satisfying meal partnered with a simple salad and some crusty bread."

"Blue Moon in Dayton serves a fabulous goat cheese salad with a raspberry-poppy seed dressing," writes Susan M. Berry of Dayton, Ohio. "Would they share the recipe?"

In this luscious soup, the restaurant uses a squash that is relatively new to the American market: the kabocha, a beautiful jade-green winter squash with deep orange flesh. Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

Melon wedges wrapped in prosciutto make a lovely first course; the garlic mashed potatoes, baked tomato halves topped with Parmesan, and an Italian Chardonnay are perfect with the fish. Offer an arugula salad after the main course, and fresh strawberries in grappa with lemon sorbet and biscotti for dessert.

For more information about cooking wild rice, see Born to Be Wild. Active time: 1 3/4 hr Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr

As the story goes, the Maya served this dish to the Spaniards, calling it papadzules, which means "food for the lords."

In Indian restaurants, lassi is served with the meal, but we frequently find this exotic "smoothie" too filling to accompany a main course and prefer it in place of dessert. Look for the smaller, yellow-skinned mangoes, which have a more pronounced flavor than the larger, red and green ones.

Hot or cold, this soup is a great starter and can be a meal in itself. It's thickened with potatoes — not cream — but tastes self-indulgent just the same. [NB: This recipe requires a slow cooker.]

There's no need to trim the watercress; you can use every bit of it in this recipe. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr(includes chilling)

Jennifer Larson of Beirut, Lebanon, writes: "I had a fabulous lunch at Rosa Mexicano in New York. The warm chocolate cake with sweet tomatillo sauce really stood out. Can you get the recipe?" Chocolate labels can be confusing because there's no official distinction between semisweet and bittersweet. We tested this recipe using Valrhona (56%), which is labeled semisweet, Ghirardelli Bittersweet, and Lindt Bittersweet. We got the best result using Valrhona (56%), but if Valrhona is not available, we recommend Ghirardelli Bittersweet over Lindt Bittersweet for this recipe.

At Le Gavroche, the salad is composed on individual plates and the leaves of Belgian endive are left whole. Alternatively, the endive may be sliced and tossed with the other ingredients for a more casual presentation.

Great on their own or in pastas and salads.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

White Chocolate Tartlets with Strawberries and Bananas These irresistible sweets feature a hazelnut crust that is lined with dark chocolate and filled with white chocolate mousse.