Shiitake Mushroom

"I spend as much time as I can cooking," writes Brigette Lyons of Allendale, New Jersey, "and I'm equally comfortable feeding two or two hundred. I thoroughly enjoy giving sit-down meals, including an annual Christmas luncheon I do for about twenty guests. I just like to cook, period. Cooking for two hundred may be different from making weeknight dinners for myself and my husband, John, but organization is the key to both. I try to keep things on hand that are simple and easy to prepare." Brigette prepares this dish for her annual Christmas luncheon. It's ideal for entertaining because it can be assembled ahead and baked just before serving.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This spicy pasta dish is a real treat for mushroom lovers. Use as many different varieties as you can find.

This dish combines aroma and flavor in a unique fashion: Bowls of steaming rosemary vapor accompany the luxurious main course. The piney fragrance of fresh rosemary adds another dimension to the taste experience.

Complement this earthy entrée with braised brussels sprouts and buttered orzo. Warm gingerbread squares make a great ending.

Ever wonder how soybeans turn into smooth, creamy tofu? First, the beans are pressed to extract soy milk, which is then curdled. The curds are drained, pressed, and cut into blocks of tofu.

At the restaurant, this dish is served as a starter. It would also make a great main course for four.

"My husband and I ate dinner at the Dilworthtown Inn, a colonial-style restaurant in West Chester, Pennsylvania," writes Judy Kamp of Oxford, Pennsylvania. "I'd love to know how to make the creamy mushroom soup we both had to start the meal."

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 25 hr

For this rustic French meal, start with mixed greens dressed with lemon vinaigrette; serve new potatoes tossed in butter and parsley with the beef; and end with plum tarts topped with whipped cream. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The follow recipe is an adoption of "chicken long rice," a frequent accompaniment to roast pig at a luau. Although Chinese in origin, this dish has been enthusiastically adopted by all Hawaiians. "Long rice" refers to bean-thread noodles that are cut into short lengths. We eliminated the chicken traditionally included in this recipe to make it a lighter side dish for our Grilled Teriyaki Pork Chops with Pineapple Papaya Relish . Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Chef Stratta prepares this satisfying sandwich for The Terrace Dining Room, Phoenix, Arizona.