American

Two ultimate comfort foods — ice cream and hot fudge — team up in an exceptional all-American dessert. (And, yes, the hot fudge sauce gets chewy when it hits the ice cream.)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

When slicing the cabbage, try to go nice and thin. Toss with the dressing and let it rest before serving, so the vegetables will soften. The slaw becomes creamy then.

Juicy peaches, crushed cookies and vanilla ice cream spiked with brandy and amaretto add up to a perfect summer treat.

The steak served at Chamberlain's Prime Chop House in Dallas, Texas, is flavored with a soy sauce and honey marinade. Pour a Merlot with dinner, and serve a spice cake with peach ice cream for dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Angel food cake gets its ethereal fluffiness from whipped egg whites, which also keep it friendly to the waistline and healthy for the heart. The unused egg yolks may be saved for making such real indulgences as Crème Anglaise, custards, or lemon curd.

A colorful salad of cooked green beans, roasted red pepper strips and marinated artichoke hearts looks and tastes terrific with this meatless version of a classic. Pass a plate of brownies for dessert.

The ingredients of the traditional Denver omelet top savory French toast. Alongside, offer sliced tomatoes with balsamic or red wine vinegar and crumbled marjoram. End with oatmeal cookies and oranges.

Traditional beef stew with Spanish overtones. It's delicious over rice or pasta.

Onions, olives, basil and lemon accent this unusual combination from Un Grand Café in Chicago, Illinois. If you cannot find Yukon Gold potatoes, regular white-skinned potatoes will do nicely.

The following log cabins are basically a simple construction project. The directions for making them may seem long, but each one can be assembled in about 10 minutes with a bit of patience.

"Four-spices" usually include four of five spices and are commonly used to season forcemeats for sausages and terrines. I include all five. This is one combination of spices that I try to keep on hand in small quantities. This recipes is a suggestion; quantities and proportions given are typical but not written in stone. Vary the amounts to suit your own palate.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.