Tomato

Grape tomatoes are smaller than cherry tomatoes. If you’re using cherry tomatoes, cut them in half for this dish.

A beautiful, colorful and delicious appetizer. Open a bottle of Sangiovese with dinner.

Feel free to add, subtract, or substitute any raw or cooked vegetables you'd like, but make sure there's a good variety of textures and colors.

Not only is the yogurt marinade an excellent tenderizer, but it imparts a nice, mild tang as well. Begin marinating the chicken one day in advance.

Spoon some of the sauce over noodles that have been tossed with Parmesan cheese; serve with a salad of balsamic-dressed mesclun and with crusty bread. Almond cookies and grapes are a simple finale.

A nice side dish for grilled fish or lamb.

This custard makes a perfect one-dish brunch, lunch, or supper, especially when paired with a green salad. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

May be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

"For as long as I can remember, every Christmas Eve I've hosted an open house with a Mexican buffet," writes Jill Cole of Fallbrook, California. "Any suggestion of varying the meal is met with cries of protest from family and friends. I set out guacamole, salsa, homemade tamales, and what has become my famous albóndigas soup." Be sure to put out hot sauce for those who like extra heat.

(Pasta allo Scoglio) Tuscany is not famous for its seafood dishes, but fantastic fresh fish and shellfish are available all along the coast. A scoglio is a rocky seashore, and in the traditional pasta allo scoglio, only shellfish from the rugged Mediterranean seaside can be used in the sauce. Many kinds of fish are included in the various renditions prepared up and down the Tuscan coast today. Watch how to clean and prepare shellfish and how to make your own pasta.

This Italian-style stew — called cioppino — makes a hearty supper. Serve it with a green salad, garlic bread and a crisp white wine.