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Serve with chopped celery leaves and horseradish mixed into sour cream. Look for panko at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of supermarkets.

Lefse Enjoyed year-round, these soft flatbreads are especially common during holidays. For many Norwegians, and members of Norwegian communities such as those in the Midwestern United States, making lefse symbolizes the start of the Christmas season. They can be either sweet or savory: On the Christmas Eve buffet, they often accompany lutefisk (preserved cod) and pork ribs, but as a snack, they're popular rolled up, spread with butter, and sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar. Lefse are traditionally made using special grooved rolling pins; large, superheated griddles; and long wooden spatulas. However, we found that a regular rolling pin, a 10-inch cast iron skillet, a pastry bench scraper, and a thin metal spatula worked just fine. Cooking the potatoes thoroughly and using a ricer or food mill will ensure that there will be no lumps in the potato dough.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Italian Two Easy: Simple Recipes from the London River Cafe by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. To read Epicurious's review of the cookbook, go to The Best Cookbooks of 2006. Vegetables trifolati is a method of slicing and cooking with garlic, olive oil, and parsley. Other ingredients, such as mint, wine, or chiles, are sometimes added. In this recipe we add fresh, ripe tomatoes.

These tiny cakes make terrific gifts, packaged in sets of three — one of each flavor. The basic vanilla batter is also wonderful for other variations — try orange rind and white chocolate-chip, raisin-walnut, or "the kitchen sink" (that's whatever you need to get rid of in your pantry). I also like to keep some of these loaves in my freezer for impromptu breakfast parties. Just move them to the refrigerator before bed, and they'll be thawed by morning.

This timeless dish is a beautiful, delicious, easy beginning to dinner. You can also think of mimosa as a nice way to add a little inexpensive protein to a vegetable side or leafy green salad.

Drop scones are a boon for busy holiday bakers, since they're a snap to make and almost foolproof. These bake up light and fluffy. A touch of maple syrup and pieces of fig make them just sweet enough — ideal for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

We like to bake this lightly spiced bread, filled with bits of flavorful candied fruit, in small loaves — perfect for gift-giving. Mild honey lends sweetness, while molasses adds notes of caramel.

Fennel dressing, bright with lemon juice, coats pleasantly bitter greens with an intriguing hint of licorice.

Caramelized by high-heat roasting, all that these parsnips needed was a hint of sage to make fans of us all.

This bay-leaf- and garlic-infused pilaf is versatile, going well with both the Cajun shrimp stew and the coconut red-lentil curry.

Once separated from the ribs, the pale green leaves of the under-appreciated Napa cabbage are delicate and mild. Tossed with a lemony dressing, creamy avocado, and tiny tomatoes, they make a great cold-weather salad.

The red stems and green leaves of Swiss chard may hint at Christmas, but once you taste them with feta and currants, you'll want to cook this dish throughout the winter.

We were surprised at how many different varieties of gorgeous red lettuces and red greens we were able to find to create this visually stunning salad. Tossed with a simple vinaigrette, it is a lovely counterpoint to the richness of the meat and potatoes.

We know they're a pain to peel, but we promise that these jewellike pearl onions are worth it. Cooked until just tender, they make a dazzling addition to the meal.

Traditionally piped through a pastry bag into rosettes to garnish a roast, this classic French potato mixture is here transformed into a rich casserole that can be prepared in advance and is still the perfect match for a prime rib roast.

Salty, crunchy bites, tasting of the sea, complement the lobster gelées' delicate, melting texture.