Cured Meat

Tender Iowa corn was the inspiration for these terrific biscuits. They are best eaten the day they are baked; extras can be warmed up the next morning for breakfast or brunch. Be sure to serve them with plenty of butter.

Although these are called fritters, they more closely resemble pancakes. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"On my last birthday, I enjoyed a special dinner at Brasserie Le Coze in Atlanta," says Diane Sullivan of Alpharetta, Georgia. "The entire meal was fabulous, but the white bean soup with truffle oil was absolutely divine." White truffle oil, should you happen to have a bottle of it, is a delicious "garnish" for this rich and hearty soup.

Slow-cooked garlic combines with bacon and mushrooms to give this first-course pizza a smoky, woodsy and oh-so-satisfying flavor. Serve a crisp green salad alongside.

Pine nuts provide a buttery contrast to the tart capers in this sophisticated veal dish.

Pitted prunes replace the more customary mushrooms in this delicious variation.

At the restaurant, the gnocchi are shaped in a time-honored manner that includes pressing each short dough piece against the tines of a fork. Home cooks may find it simpler to roll the dough along the wires of a whisk, as outlined here. Also, if you can't get ground chuck, buy a boneless chuck roast, and ask the butcher to grind it for you.

If you're from the South, you're probably used to collards cooked long and slow. What makes this simple, flavorful Brazilian dish unusual are greens that are finely sliced and barely cooked. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

This is a lovely first course or side dish.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve this hearty stew over noodles. Market Tip: It's best to buy pork shoulder from the Boston butt: This less-tender but well-marbled cut produces succulent results when braised.

Fresh herbs and pancetta (Italian cured bacon) blanket the pork before it goes into the oven. Ask the butcher to tie the two loins to hold their shape. Begin marinating the meat one day before serving. What to drink: Open a few bottles of spicy Zinfandel or hearty Bordeaux to place on the buffet table.

What to drink: Delicate blanc de blancs Champagne pairs well with these hors d'oeuvres.

Many people consider stuffing the best part of a Thanksgiving meal, and they can be quite particular about it — some like it dense and moist from the turkey juices, others fluffy and browned from the oven. We've made sure everyone will be satisfied: This recipe makes enough stuffing for the turkey and the onions, with plenty left over for another baking dish of stuffing. You can easily adapt the recipe to suit vegetarian guests — simply eliminate the bacon (use olive oil instead of bacon fat for sautéing the vegetables) and substitute vegetable stock for the turkey stock. Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr