American

This recipe is an accompaniment for Southwestern Corn Pudding . This is also great on its own.

Juicy cantaloupe makes a refreshing salsa for grilled chicken or fish. For a milder salsa, discard all the chile seeds.

This southwestern version of fried chicken needs only two sides: purchased Mexican-style rice pilaf and a sauté of bell peppers and carrots. Flan with sliced kiwi would be a nice finish. Look for ancho chili powder in the spice section of your supermarket.

"I love going to Peter Schott's here in Boise for special occasions," writes Tracie Merrell of Boise, Idaho. "The restaurant is elegant but relaxed, and the food is memorable, especially the mushroom soup with Brie croutons." Freezing the Brie firms it, so removing the rind and slicing the cheese are much easier.

Wendy Popp of Richmond, Virginia, writes: "My job as a physical therapist and my hobby, horseback riding, keep me pretty busy. But my sons — Sammy, two, and Weston, four — keep me moving the most, which has changed my cooking style. I used to be much more experimental, but now I need low-maintenance, tried-and-true recipes that will please the boys (including my husband, Jim) and impress dinner guests." This moist Bundt cake is a slight variation on a local award-winning recipe. After Wendy started making it, the dessert quickly became a family favorite.

I'd say this is one of the most perfect American appetizers for a group: warm and creamy, full of flavor, easy and spreadable. Toasted pita triangles and crisp toasts are my favorite choices to offer guests to slather this rich mixture on. No matter what you select, you'll probably find this recipe as versatile as I do.

Soba noodles can be found in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.

An easy press-in crust of ground graham crackers and toasted almonds is topped with a fresh strawberry filling and whipped cream. Chill the pie at least two hours before serving.

Faye Gardner, Haleyville, Ala.
"I perfected a sister-in-law's cookie and have been baking them every Christmas since 1969."

The people who count such things say that scrambles now outrank all other egg preparations in America's affections. This San Francisco creation — claimed by almost every Joe who's owned a restaurant in the Bay area — helps to explain the popularity. With the addition of ingredients as basic but as unlikely as ground beef and spinach, the namesake cook (probably Italian-American) turned straightforward scrambled eggs into a distinctive treasure of tastes. For a full sense of place, serve the eggs with good sourdough toast.

Sharon Hooykaas of Los Alamitos, California, writes: "During a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, my husband and I went to Edward's at Kanaloa for dinner, where I enjoyed the best fish I've ever tasted: snapper served on angel hair pasta with creamy citrus sauce."

This recipe has a nice balance of sweet and spicy flavors, and a drizzle of lime juice provides tang. Serve the corn and the Hearts of Romaine and Roquefort Salad with the burgers, and check out the box on the next page for potato salad suggestions.

Quickly sautéed shrimp over rice is a very old, traditional breakfast in the Carolina Low Country. But it would also make a nice quick-and-easy luncheon or supper dish, rounded out with a salad and maybe cornbread.

Shake up some Margaritas (limeade for the kids) and slather grilled corn on the cob with cumin-seasoned butter. For dessert, top fudge brownies with coffee ice cream and Kahlúa.