Make Ahead

Accompany this light main course with Buttery Rice Timbales.

Simmering cobs in the corn-broth mixture gives the soup extra flavor.

This rich, subtly spicy gravy recalls the great Mexican sauce known as mole poblano. The puréed ancho chilies on which the gravy is based are often described as having a chocolatey quality; that is reinforced here with the addition of a small amount of unsweetened chocolate.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

The classic twosome presented in the perfect after-dinner mint.

Offer this colorful condiment with assorted grilled vegetables or grilled tuna. It's also great when paired with fried calamari or used in tuna or potato salad.

If time is short, omit the streusel topping.

Spoon this over vanilla ice cream, or serve it with dollops of Mascarpone Cream or sour cream.

Try this simple but flavorful dressing over tossed greens, too.

"Dinner at J. Alexander’s in nearby Troy is a treat my family enjoys regularly, and there’s one thing we always order: the chicken soup. says Katie Randlett of Wixom, Michigan."Although it sounds ordinary, this version definitely isn’t — it has a rich, creamy texture, and it’s full of goodies like pasta, sugar snap peas and carrots." Sugar snap peas add crunch to this comforting soup. The restaurant uses penne pasta, but macaroni would also work well.

A mix of butternut and acorn squash makes this soup silky and flavorful. Keep it bubbling on the stove to warm up any roaming ghosts and goblins as they return home from their Halloween rounds.

Packed with chicken and vegetables, this savory cobbler is a down-home main course. Uncork a chilled Sauvignon Blanc.