5 Ingredients or Fewer

A bed of rock salt helps keep the cooked clams in place on the platter.

Balsamic vinegar is boiled with a bit of sugar until they form a luscious syrup to drizzle over the potatoes and veal.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Traditional New England side dishes like boiled potatoes, corn on the cob and coleslaw are just right with this festive dish. If it's more convenient, thaw two frozen uncooked lobster tails (skip the parboiling). The Goober Ice Cream Sandwiches are perfect to wrap it up.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Though detested on lawns, dandelions are now cultivated commercially and are widely available at farmers markets and supermarkets. Great additions to this salad are red onion and shaved Parmesan.

Serve any leftover sauce with fresh berries.

Called Goldie Lox at Sarabeth's restaurant in New York, this delicious dish gets its name from the golden color of the eggs, which are combined with the lox. There are pockets of cream cheese throughout this savory mixture, the key to creating them is keeping the cheese cold until it is folded into the eggs. Be sure to have plenty of coffee and an assortment of teas on hand to complete the meal.

Serve this side dish with any roasted meat, such as ham, turkey, or roast beef.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Editors' note: The original recipe calls for Chinese wheat noodles, but we also like this soup made with somen (Japanese thin wheat noodles) or soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles).

Fudgies, says my friend Cindy Kane, "are the most wonderful food in the world." She must really think so, since she's sent me the recipe three times. It is pretty great, though, and not only that — it's also easy enough for children aged eight and up to make for themselves. And, says Cindy, "It makes more than you'd think." The only change I've made from her recipe is that I've substituted unsweetened chocolate for cocoa.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Some varieties of fresh thyme are stronger than others, so we've given a range. Try starting with 2 teaspoons and adding a third if you need more flavor. And, whatever you do, don't stint on the salt!

Apple ice wine gets its particular sweetness and deep golden color from frozen apples: The presence of water crystals during pressing increases the sugar content of the resulting wine. Canada produces more ice wine per year than any other country. Sophisticated-looking and intensely apple-flavored, this seasonal dessert is delicious on its own or as a complement to the maple walnut bûche de Noël. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 4 1/4 hr (includes chilling)

This recipe was created to accompany Flourless Chocolate Cake.

A refreshing finale to a healthful dinner.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.