Food Processor

Filled with a mixture of nuts, brown sugar, honey and grated orange peel, this tart will dress up any holiday table. Serve it with whipped cream and, if desired, the Orange-Cranberry Compote

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 45 min

Ribollita In leaner times, this hearty soup provided a delicious way for Tuscans to use their leftovers: Ribollita means "reboiled," and the soup was always eaten two days in a row. Plus, it was poured into the bowl over a slice of stale bread, which we recommend that you do, too. Begin making it two days ahead, and don't leave out the final drizzle of olive oil.

This recipe was created to accompany Fried Grits with Red Pepper Sauce

Laurie likes to use 1/3 cup each of white cheddar and orange cheddar.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr (includes chilling)

"One night when friends were coming over for cocktails, I wanted to make some hors d'oeuvres," says Amy Sue Keck of San Diego, California. "Though most tapenades I've tasted have been made with black olives and anchovies, I only had green olives in my cabinet—and no anchovies! So I added some toasted almonds instead, and my green "tapenade" was a hit. I still make it this way."

Stuffed pastas such as ravioli are simple to make, but it is important to keep the dough soft enough to be worked easily. Always roll out and fill 1 sheet of dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

These unusual and delicious gnocchi are baked rather than boiled. To make them, the chef at L'Etoile in Madison, Wisconsin, mixes mashed parsnips with a classic French dough, known as choux paste, made of eggs, butter and flour.