Crimini Mushroom

"Mi Piaci, a local restaurant, serves a pasta entrée with wild mushrooms called Fusilli alla Boscaiola," says Karen Mungioli, of Dallas, Texas. "Its flavors reminded me of a dish I had in Italy recently. I’d love to try my hand at preparing this authentic-tasting recipe in my home kitchen."

A quintessential Polish comfort food, pierogies can be stuffed with potatoes, cheese, sauerkraut, or wild mushrooms. Here, dried porcini are combined with cremini mushrooms, adding a woodsy depth to the filling. Served with golden sautéed onions and sour cream, these dumplings make a delicious main dish.

Use a cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet to make this recipe. Serve the bubbling cheese right from the pan, and partner the whole meal with icy Margaritas.

Lane Crowther, Bon Appétit contributing editor, "Stuffing has always set the tone for our Thanksgiving dinners. We choose the stuffing—it might be Tex-Mex, or another regional American, or something else—then create the menu around it. A few years ago, the feast had an Italian accent, and a vegetable stuffing led the way."

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This spicy pasta dish is a real treat for mushroom lovers. Use as many different varieties as you can find.

This dish combines aroma and flavor in a unique fashion: Bowls of steaming rosemary vapor accompany the luxurious main course. The piney fragrance of fresh rosemary adds another dimension to the taste experience.

Complement this earthy entrée with braised brussels sprouts and buttered orzo. Warm gingerbread squares make a great ending.

"My husband and I ate dinner at the Dilworthtown Inn, a colonial-style restaurant in West Chester, Pennsylvania," writes Judy Kamp of Oxford, Pennsylvania. "I'd love to know how to make the creamy mushroom soup we both had to start the meal."

Tarragon brings its distinctive flavor to this salad. Serve it alongside the strata.

The combination of dried porcini and fresh crimini mushrooms gives this dish an intensely earthy flavor.

For this salad choose a very fresh, tightly closed artichoke with no brown edges and do all the prep work right before serving to prevent discoloration. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

For this recipe you may use whatever mushrooms you happen to have on hand. Serve the dish as an accompaniment to grilled or roasted meats, seafood, or chicken or with soup as a light lunch or dinner.

This crowd-pleasing risotto works well as a main course—accompanied by green salad and crusty bread—or as a side dish for leftover chicken. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min