Food Processor

A rich, decadent frozen dessert that can be made ahead for a party.

To save time, simply skip the topping.

"During my first trip west of the Mississippi, I had dinner at an extraordinary restaurant called The Fort, in Morrison, Colorado," says Marcia Walsh of Westford, Massachusetts. "I enjoyed both the ambience and the food, especially the rib roast." The vegetable-herb coating gives the roast extra flavor. This is an easy holiday entrée.

Davina uses this olive paste as a pizza topping, as a flavor pickup for purchased pasta sauces and as a spread for baguette slices.

Offer butter cookies alongside this pretty pink dessert.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Turkey Meatloaf .

Majorca, Spain When this dessert is made on Majorca, rum-soaked raisins are baked on top. Here the filling is flavored with rum; then the cake is served with a strawberry compote.

Unfortunately, beets are not on the top-ten list of favorite foods for many people. Most people hate them because they've only eaten them boiled or canned, but I was fortunate enough to try the real thing at an early age. So they're on my top-ten list, and this recipe might just be a great way to get them on yours. The roasting brings out the sweetness and intensifies the depth of flavor that is lost when you boil. Once you roast a beet, you'll never go back. Don't throw away the beet greens: braise or sauté them if they are large, or add them to salad greens if they are small. The rich, thick Walnut Gorgonzola Dressing is also great on burgers or grilled portobello mushrooms or mixed into greens.

Make the components of this salad early in the day, then toss in the shrimp just before serving. (Buy cooked shrimp, if you like, to save a little time.) Offer cold Mexican beers and Margaritas alongside.

There will be about 3/4 cup of parsley pesto left over after making this lasagne.

What to drink: Offer a Pinot Grigio with these toasts.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

These fritters are called akara in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, and akla or koosé in Ghana. They're eaten as a snack, side dish, or breakfast, served with a hot pepper relish (ata). We think they make a great hors d'oeuvre. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 9 hr (includes soaking time)