Flour

Serve with: Romaine salad with creamy Italian dressing, and steamed Broccolini. Dessert: Lemon gelato topped with sliced figs and Marsala.

Whole roasted chestnuts (now conveniently packed ready-to-use in jars) and creamy Fontina cheese enrich this take on a classic southern bread.

Pick up some crunchy coleslaw and corn bread to go with the fish. Bourbon-spiked sweetened peaches with vanilla ice cream are a nice dessert.

This southwestern version of fried chicken needs only two sides: purchased Mexican-style rice pilaf and a sauté of bell peppers and carrots. Flan with sliced kiwi would be a nice finish. Look for ancho chili powder in the spice section of your supermarket.

You can also serve blini topped with salmon roe. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Sweet potatoes make this moist; cranberries and walnuts add texture and color.

Pastel des Tres Leches con Rompope This special-occasion cake from the state of Sinaloa is spiked with rompope, a rich Mexican eggnog liqueur. It is heated with the tres leches until the mixture is reduced to a syrup that is poured over the hot cake.

Cayenne pepper in the batter gives these muffins a nice little kick.

Stone-ground cornmeal has more texture and corn flavor than steel-ground.

A buttermilk layer cake is filled with ginger-scented lime curd, then finished with a sweet and fluffy frosting. Make the lime curd one to two days before assembling the cake.

This moist sweet corn bread is a nice addition to breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

"While on vacation in central Utah, I stayed in Bicknell at a wonderful place called The Lodge at Red River Ranch," writes Nancy Schmauder of University Place, Washington. "The granola was a breakfast treat worth getting up for." This crunchy granola has a touch of sweetness from honey and brown sugar. It makes a great breakfast served with milk, or a good snack eaten plain. Note that it can be made up to two weeks ahead.

This free-form apple pie is shaped and cooked on a baking sheet—eliminating the need for a pie dish. Using milk instead of water in the crust makes it tender.

This soufflé-like tart makes a nice lunch or light dinner with a salad of mixed baby greens.

Put the dressing in the oven as soon as the turkey comes out to rest before it's carved.