Food Processor

Bright ribbons of cranberry puree swirled through a creamy white cheesecake create a pretty contrast. Begin the cake a day ahead.

Ginger's peppery flavor is the perfect foil for white chocolate. Here, the ginger is used in several forms, each contributing its own nuance: Crystallized ginger provides texture and a warm bite to the filling, gingersnaps are used for the crust, and ground ginger enhances both crust and filling. Begin making this dessert a day ahead.

If you choose to make this hash with eggs, you’ve got breakfast. Take away the eggs, pair it with a green salad, and dinner is served.

Mashed Yams and Apples and Fried Onion Rings are superb accompaniments.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"I had lunch at a historic spot in Berryville, Virginia, called the Battletown Inn," says Judy Owens of Round Hill Virginia. "For dessert, I ordered bourbon walnut pie. If chef Robin Smith would share her recipe, I know that baking the pie during the holidays would become a family tradition." The sweetness of the filling is offset nicely by the bourbon. Serve the dessert with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

GELATO DI PESCA This recipe was sensational when we made it with ripe, flavorful peaches. If your peaches aren't great, try something similar, like nectarines.

Begin preparing the dessert a day ahead.

These cookies are perfect with a cup of tea.

Aromatic spice and herb blends can quickly turn an ordinary soup recipe into something extraordinary. Here they transform a basic carrot soup into a special concoction you'll crave again and again. So start utilizing the "cook once, eat twice" theory; just freeze half of the recipe or make a double batch whenever possible.

Lovers of hummus will appreciate this reduced-fat version. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

While the cheesecake has been around for centuries, it was perfected in the 1920s by New York delicatessens. It first appeared at Arnold Reuben’s eponymous restaurant on East 58th Street and soon was featured at Lindy’s on Times Square and at Junior’s in Brooklyn. Marmalade tops this luscious cake; it also has citrus peel in the filling.

For a more elegant presentation, ask your butcher to french the rack of lamb (that is, trim the meat and fat from the ends of the bones). Also serve the Potato Silk with Truffle Oil and sautéed cherry tomatoes. A good Merlot is the perfect accompaniment.

Colorful boysenberry and mango sorbets team up in a refreshing, guilt-free alterative to traditional ice cream sundaes.

You don't need an ice cream maker to prepare this classic frozen treat. Accompany with amaretti or other Italian cookies.