Make Ahead

"My taste in food is pretty simple," writes Sara Hainsworth of Frederick, Maryland. "I'm a meat-and-potatoes — and chocolate — kind of person. This lemon tart recipe is my husband, Greg's, specialty. Greg and I cook together a lot, which is fun and makes weeknight dinners and cooking for friends easier to manage now that we're starting our own family." For a chocolate-fix variation, Sara suggests filling purchased three-inch chocolate tartlet shells with the lemon curd. Or brush melted sweet chocolate over the graham cracker crust before filling. Begin this recipe four hours to one day ahead.

Make this almost entirely ahead (up to two days), and simply reheat before serving. Crusty bread and a salad round out the main course. Serve Sauvignon Blanc alongside.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr (includes making stock) There's no need for your vegetarian guests to miss out on rich, delicious gravy to pour over the dressing.

Don't be nervous about making these rich and spicy soufflés — they're durable enough to be reheated. And it's normal for the puffy tops to fall when you remove the soufflés from the oven. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

This chutney is well worth the 1-month wait it takes for the spices to mellow. Try it with grilled shrimp or fish, or on grilled chicken or cheese sandwiches. Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 31/2 hr (plus 1 month for flavors to develop)

Frozen desserts seem especially festive — and no less refreshing — in the cooler months.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

"The Metropolitan Bakery in Philadelphia makes fabulous breads and other baked goods. My personal favorite is the carrot cake: It's moist and tender, and it's drizzled with a tart lemony icing," says John K. Wildemore IV of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "I hope you can persuade the owner to share this recipe." Olive oil is the surprise ingredient in this recipe. The result is a rich cake that doesn't have even a hint of olive oil taste.

Lard is the fat of choice on Majorca, but here we have substituted solid vegetable shortening in the crust, with equally delicious results. For a truly authentic version of this dish, use sobrasada, a sausage that tastes very much like Spanish chorizo but is much softer.

Vary this yellow cake according to your mood and what's available. For instance, add sliced and lightly sugared fruit on the top of the unbaked batter, or top it with crushed nuts before baking, or split the baked and cooled cake to spread it with a layer of preserves, then dust it with powdered sugar.

Crisp broccoli and a creamy blue cheese dressing give new life to pasta salad.

Shredded iceberg lettuce topped with ranch dressing is the perfect side dish. End with scoops of lime sorbet drizzled with tequila and sprinkled with lime peel. Canned chipotle chilies are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

Sour cream and vegetable oil moisten the cake, and raspberry jam adds a nice touch to the frosting. Decorate this rich old-fashioned layer cake with a few edible flowers (roses would be pretty) and candles.

Thakkali Rasam We liked this soup on its own, but in India it is frequently served over rice and topped with a spoonful of warm ghee.

If preparing this corn bread for the New England Sausage Stuffing , make it one day ahead.