Nut

For soft and chewy cookies, bake these just a couple of minutes less than the recipe directs.

For a festive presentation, place the toffee in clear cellophane bags and tie with French silk ribbon.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This easy pâté can be made three days ahead.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Silver Palate Sour Cream Apple Pie was the most popular apple pie at The Silver Palate, the gourmet take-out shop that Julee Rosso and I opened in New York City in 1977. This pie will win raves in your home too! When chopping the walnuts, make sure they're not too fine.

Sweet summer apricots are a terrific topping for this upside-down cake.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Variations on the grilled chicken salad were everywhere in recent years. Likewise, balsamic vinegar dressings and marinades often turned up on menus, olivada (olive paste) became a pantry staple, packaged salad greens were popular convenience items, and fennel and radicchio became regulars in the produce bins.

Sue Ellison of Edgewater, Colorado, writes: "Although I play guitar and piano, and have worked for more than 20 years as an elementary-school music teacher, at this point music is just my job; cooking is my passion. It's an interest I share with my daughter, Hannah. We do a phenomenal amount of cooking together. In fact, I think she learned how to count using chocolate chips, standing on a stool next to me at the kitchen counter while I baked chocolate croissants." Roasted pine nuts add a southwestern accent to this lightly sweetened granola. Once the granola has cooled, leave it in large chunks for a snack or crumble it into bits for a cereal topping. Either way, it will keep up to one week if stored airtight.

This bread gets even better if stored for a day. Enjoy it toasted and buttered for breakfast.