Simmer

Start with vegetable sticks and dip from the supermarket. Warm tortillas and a plate of sliced red onion, orange and avocado are nice sides. To end, sprinkle rum and brown sugar over fresh pineapple chunks. Look for the coconut milk in the Asian foods section of the grocery store.

This is a delicate onion soup, a nice change from the heartier types which are so well known.

Cheese fondue originated in Switzerland, but chocolate fondue was a New World recipe created in 1964 by Konrad Egli, a Swiss-born chef working at New York's Chalet Swiss restaurant. Zurich's Toblerone chocolate works well in the dish, because its honey-nougat blend echoes the honey and almond flavoring that are also in the recipe.

Basil is one of the favorite ingredients of the Italian region of Liguria, and there is no place in the world where it is more fragrant or put to such delicious use. It's the basis of the classic Genoese sauce, pesto, in which it is partnered with garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses. It shows up most typically floating atop minestrone, drizzled over potato gnocchi, or - as here - tossed with trenette (the local ribbon pasta), potatoes and green beans.

Either pink or green gooseberries work well in this rendition of the traditional English dessert.

With some warm corn bread, this chili is a meal in itself. You wouldn't know there was chocolate in the recipe, but it adds a subtle depth of flavor to the dish.

Roasting the yams gives this soup its richness; a swirl of cilantro-flavored yogurt adds even more taste and color.

You'll need a big glass bowl or a trifle dish to show off the salad to its best advantage. An accompaniment to Chicken Chili Verde .

Called Dublin coddle, this traditional Irish dish is a quick main course.

Tomato and Bread Soup

This recipe yields enough to have leftovers the next day. Serve with glasses of beer or Zinfandel for a warming autumn supper.

Michael McLaughlin, cookbook author, says, "Sweet potatoes are so versatile that it's a crime to fix them just one way every Thanksgiving. A long time ago, I decided to be flexible and creative with the sweet potatoes, and it has been a delicious ongoing investigation. This year, now that dried cranberries are a supermarket staple, I've zeroed in on this version. Not only is it a colorful addition to the holiday spread, but it also is cooked on top of the stove, freeing up some precious oven space."

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This simple sauce enhances the natural sweetness in foods—try it on steamed cauliflower or asparagus or with sautéed fish.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. The fennel is the special flavor in this soup.

Just like some Mexican moles, this chili has a bit of chocolate in it. Serve sour cream and shredded sharp cheddar cheese alongside.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.