Food Processor

Can be prepared in 45 minues or less.

The 1990s opened with American cooks finding their way back to some of the foods and flavors of our country's beginning, then modifying them with new knowledge gained over time. Cheesecakes have been around for centuries, but they've never been more popular in the United States than they are right now. Pumpkin, too, is a New World food for which tradition reserves an honored place at any Thanksgiving table. We've teamed up these old favorites with luscious caramel in a creamy dessert that's right in step with the times.

Bacalao (salt cod) has been popular in Spain for centuries, especially among the Basques (they brought it back from whaling voyages to northern Europe) and the Catalans (the southern French shared it with them). Although Spain is surrounded by water, in days gone by fresh fish never made it to the interior and sometimes wasn't available - or any good - on the coasts. So, in this strict Catholic country where meat and poultry were not allowed on Fridays, or during Lent, Bacalao became an integral part of the staple diet. Bradade - salt cod pureed with potatoes, olive oil and sometimes milk - is a specialty of France's Provence area that has made its way into the Catalan culinary repertoire as Brandada. If you've never tried salt cod, this is a good initiation. Start soaking the dried fish a day ahead.

Usually made of mashed potatoes, garlic and olive oil, skordalia is a thick sauce served with meats, fish, fritters or greens.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Crunchy peanuts team up with peanut butter and caramel in this decadent candy bar-like sweet.

These cookies are a delicious variation on the traditional and are reminiscent of rugelach.

Grapes marinated in Port with rosemary and them combined with the mild garlic and the creamy cheese lead to an inventive appetizer. Use both red and green grapes for a pretty presentation.

These delicate, buttery crackers make excellent accompaniments to cocktails. After a few days they become somewhat softer but can be recrisped in a 300°F, oven for 5 minutes.

The extra marinade keeps up to three weeks in the refrigerator and is delicious used with chicken, lamb or beef, too.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

It's almost as quick to make the citrus-herb glaze that coats the chicken as it is to open a bottle of barbecue sauce-and the glaze has a far more interesting taste. Pour a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc for the grown-ups; the kids should have lemonade. Finish up with watermelon and brownies. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.