Fall

Popular in the Italian kitchen for eons, risotto and wild mushrooms were embraced in the nineties by American home cooks and restaurant chefs alike. Offer this delicious version as a starter or a main course.

Maple squash is a time-honored Thanksgiving staple, but there are plenty of other ways to go with butternut. See our variations, below, for a few ideas. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

Dense, moist, and delicious, this bread is great as a quick snack or with a bit of whipped honey butter for afternoon tea.

I like to mix up several kinds of apples for great-tasting applesauce. I prefer it coarse, so I cook it for a short time and then mash it only slightly.

A crisp is one of the easiest desserts that a nonbaker can make.

For some reason this delicious sweet is almost unknown today.

Resist the temptation to use soft-ripe pears in this recipe as they will disintegrate during cooking and produce too much liquid.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Sue Shadley of Indianapolis, Indiana, says that the biscotti from The Bakehouse in Bloomington are addictive. These can be baked three weeks ahead and frozen, making them an ideal Christmas gift.

The apple-essence syrup is brushed over the cake to infuse it with flavor and make it extra-moist. If you prefer, substitute apple cider for the brandy.

Similar to pumpkin pie, but not quite as sweet. Serve with whipped cream, if you like.

All-American apple pie cannot be ascribed to any single region of the United States, of course. But this straightforward pie--no raisins, no spirits, no creamy accompaniments--is a heartland basic.

The sweet-tart filling and the flaky crust add up to one terrific pie.

Sprinkle a ring of chopped toasted walnuts around the edge of the pie before serving.