Wine

Remember the green bean casserole made with nothing but convenience ingredients: frozen or canned green beans, canned cream of mushroom soup and, for the topping, canned fried onions? Here it is again, only fresher and better.

"My family loves Italian food," writes Seamus Ray of Annapolis, Maryland. "One of my best creations is this veal dish with eggplant; I serve it for special occasions."

"On a recent visit to Las Vegas, my father and I ate at Malibu Chan's," writes Stephanie Flanders of Simi Valley, California. "I had the sea bass, and I'm already craving it again. I'm hoping to add it to my recipe collection."

PROVENCE This dish is typically made with pitted, brine-cured black olives (Kalamata or Niçois work well), but if olives cassées — the green, fennel-brined olives of Provence — can be found, try them here in equal quantity after draining them. Accompany the steaks with mushrooms sautéed with garlic and herbs. What to drink: A Rhône red, such as a Gigondas, or Syrah.

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.

The porcini mushroom soaking liquid moistens this stuffing from Rochelle Palermo Torres.

This rich, satisfying main course would be nice with a salad of chopped fresh tomatoes, yellow bell peppers, black olives, and sweet onion. Crusty breadsticks round out the meal, which might end with a plate of assorted grape clusters and anise biscuits.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 45 min

Celebrate the last days of the tomato crop with this recipe. A hearty vegetarian main course, it needs only a salad and a loaf of Italian bread to complete the menu. End with fresh figs (dried are okay, too) steeped in Pernod and spooned over vanilla ice cream.

"While traveling in the Northern California wine country with friends," writes Stephen Carkeet of Merced, California, "we ate dinner at Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar in Healdsburg and had one of the best meals I can remember. Chef Jeff Mall prepared a wonderful chicken dish he called 'coq au Zin.' It was a winner." A taste — and word — play on the classic French dish coq au vin, this time made with red Zinfandel. At the restaurant, this is served with creamy mashed potatoes.

Filet de Boeuf à la Bordelaise Active time: 3 hr Start to finish: 25 hr (includes making stock and soaking marrow)

Poires au Four avec Sabayon de Sauternes Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

An adaptation of a classic Northern Italian dish, spezzatini di pollo al pomodoro e vino bianco (chicken sautéed with tomato and white wine). Serve sautéed broccoli rabe and a crusty ciabatta alongside. What to drink: Barbera or Italian Chardonnay.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Though you may associate bocconcini with the tiny mozzarella balls sold at Italian markets and cheese shops, the word simply means "little bites" (the veal in this stew is cut into bite-size pieces). When purchasing dried porcini, look for packages containing large, flat, recognizable slices of the mushroom. Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Fruit with a spiced wine syrup is a typical — and refreshing — ending to a hearty Spanish dinner. Serve with slices of lemon sponge cake if desired.

At The Riviera restaurant in Dallas, this delicious main course is teamed with steamed asparagus and fingerling potatoes roasted with rosemary.

Roasting the asparagus intensifies its flavor and is easy to do.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min Servings: Serves 12 (as part of aïoli menu).