Bon Appétit

Australian crystallized ginger is especially moist; it's sold at some supermarkets and specialty foods stores.

Katy Hees of Santa Fe, New Mexico, writes: "Eating local, fresh, organic food is important to me. It doesn't get much more local than the eggs I use, which come from our own chickens. I came up with my fried eggs on toast recipe as a great way to dress them up for dinner."

A bit of cardamom gives this dessert its exotic flavor. The pudding needs to chill about five hours before serving, so be sure to plan ahead.

Rosemary and black pepper make this bread anything but typical. Wedges are delicious with plenty of butter and your favorite preserves.

Coconut milk enhances the taste of the white chocolate; kumquats add tang.

Katy Hees of Santa Fe, New Mexico, writes: "Eating local, fresh, organic food is important to me. It doesn't get much more local than the eggs I use, which come from our own chickens. I also have a garden, which inspired my roasted green beans."

Magret duck breasts come from Moulard ducks; you can also use smaller Muscovy duck breasts. Both are available at some supermarkets or at dartagnan.com.

A fantastic way to use jarred peppers.

These tartlets use a crust that's especially easy to make: It gets pressed into the pan, rather than rolled out.

Lighten up: To reduce the fat and calories in the cod, substitute 1/3 cup light mayonnaise for the 1/2 cup regular mayo called for.