Make Ahead

"As my kids have gotten older, their taste buds have become more sophisticated, and now they're willing to try dishes they wouldn't have touched just a few years ago," says Ken Haedrich, cookbook author. "So I've started serving this blend of mashed roots for Thanksgiving. It brings a bit of diversity to the table, and I also happen to love rutabagas and carrots. There was some dissension at first, especially from my youngest, Sam, whose fondness for mashed potatoes is the stuff of family legend. But now he dives right into this with the rest of us."

"My husband and I recently visited New York with some friends," says Helene M. Strassman of Gaithersburg, Maryland. "One evening, we had dinner at Babbo. The whole meal was fantastic, but the best part was the maple and mascarpone cheesecake. I asked our waiter for the recipe, but he politely refused. Maybe Bon Appétit could persuade pastry chef Gina DePalma to part with it." Be careful when boiling down the maple syrup for this recipe. It gets very hot, as a caramel syrup does. Use a heavy, large, deep saucepan because the syrup bubbles up high and vigorously when boiled. Let the syrup settle before measuring it.

We loved these tomatoes after they were cooked for 6 hours. We served them on crusty bread with a little olive oil and thought they'd also work well as a side dish. But to toss with pasta, we wanted a more intense flavor, so we cooked them an additional 2 hours. They were perfect.

To make these tarts two 13 1/2 x 4 x 1-inch tart pans with removable rims are ideal; however, you could also use one 11 x 1-inch round tart pan with a removable rim.

Key lime pie, with its tangy custard filling and pastry crust, was popular in the Florida Keys at the turn of the century. The pie eventually evolved to include the graham-cracker-crumb crusts created in the thirties. We’ve layered all the components in wine goblets.

Though there is only a small amount of cardamom in this recipe, the spice plays a big role in bringing out the subtle flavor and fragrance of the persimmon. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 4 hr

A thick puree of fresh peaches is added to the rich custard ice cream base. The ice cream can be made up to three days ahead.

"When I was a kid, corn was often served with the turkey dinner in our house," says Jim Fobel, cookbook author. "Even though corn season was over, my mom thought that it seemed appropriate for the meal. Here, I've used corn to make little pancakes. The good news is that they can be made a day ahead and then rewarmed in the oven just before serving."

This can be used to lighten any casserole that calls for a white sauce.

Serve with grilled chicken or fish. Also great with light goat cheese and French bread as an appetizer.

Use this recipe to prepare Brandied Date and Walnut Pie, Pineapple, Apricot and Cranberry Lattice-Crust Pie, Spiced Pear and Raisin Pie, Toasted Almond Cream Pie with Boysenberry Topping, Apple and Tart Cherry Pie and Honey-Pecan Pumkin Pie.