Lemon

Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr (includes cooling)

You can start baking this beautiful cake two days ahead: Make the cake layers and the raspberry curd a day before assembling; then the completed cake can be refrigerated a day before serving.

"My taste in food is pretty simple," writes Sara Hainsworth of Frederick, Maryland. "I'm a meat-and-potatoes — and chocolate — kind of person. This lemon tart recipe is my husband, Greg's, specialty. Greg and I cook together a lot, which is fun and makes weeknight dinners and cooking for friends easier to manage now that we're starting our own family." For a chocolate-fix variation, Sara suggests filling purchased three-inch chocolate tartlet shells with the lemon curd. Or brush melted sweet chocolate over the graham cracker crust before filling. Begin this recipe four hours to one day ahead.

Dried cranberries can be used in place of the pomegranate seeds in this recipe.

This jam is tasty on toast alone, or with some Manchego cheese. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

"The Metropolitan Bakery in Philadelphia makes fabulous breads and other baked goods. My personal favorite is the carrot cake: It's moist and tender, and it's drizzled with a tart lemony icing," says John K. Wildemore IV of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "I hope you can persuade the owner to share this recipe." Olive oil is the surprise ingredient in this recipe. The result is a rich cake that doesn't have even a hint of olive oil taste.

Vary this yellow cake according to your mood and what's available. For instance, add sliced and lightly sugared fruit on the top of the unbaked batter, or top it with crushed nuts before baking, or split the baked and cooled cake to spread it with a layer of preserves, then dust it with powdered sugar.

Serve with a crisp romaine salad and the Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf. Marinate the veal six hours before grilling. What to drink: A dry Italian white wine, such as a Vernaccia di San Gimignano.

Carey Paquette of Arlington, Virginia, writes: "When it comes to cooking, I make an effort to prepare healthful meals, but wouldn't call myself a fanatic. I believe that olive oil goes in everything and wine goes with everything; I just use them in moderation."

Poires au Four avec Sabayon de Sauternes Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

This dish combines Spanish escabeche (marinated poached fish) with a new take on mojo, a Cuban sauce typically made with the juice of tart oranges, garlic, and herbs.

I've often made this luscious spread with little yellow plums gathered from my friend Ilene's fruit trees. Red or purple plums work equally well. Because fruit butters are slowly cooked down to a thick paste, they require a good deal of stirring to prevent scorching. Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 3 hr (plus 1 day for flavors to develop)

This creamy, garlicky tahini sauce also pairs wonderfully with lamb. Serve it as a dipping sauce, or as a spread on cold lamb sandwiches.

"My mom taught me how to cook — mostly the meat-and-potatoes fare favored in my native north Texas," writes Judy Wilkins of Tyler, Texas. "I'll always have a fondness for that kind of meal, but now that I live in a town closer to Louisiana, I've developed a love for Cajun food. Out of necessity, I've also developed a love for quick cooking. Between my musician's hours (nights and weekends) and teacher's hours (daytime piano lessons), my schedule can be nuts. When I do have the chance to cook dinner on a weeknight, whatever I make can't take too long — and it has to taste great." With this communal dish, the mess is part of the fun. Lay down newspapers on the table and invite guests to peel-and-eat. And serve crusty bread for sopping up the juices.

The inspiration for this recipe came from a tea sandwich one of our food editors discovered at Alice's Tea Cup, in Manhattan. It's surprisingly substantial — a bit like an overstuffed deli sandwich, but not nearly as heavy.

"I dined on the most sumptuous grilled radicchio salad at The Dish Bistro and Wine Bar the last time I was in Tucson," writes Cindy Shafer of Huntington Beach, California. "Please get the recipe — I must have it." Yellow and green beans, and artichoke hearts are grilled along with the radicchio in this recipe. Serve the salad while the vegetables are still warm.