Fall

Store-bought rotisserie chicken and frozen potatoes make quick and easy work of this dinner, which tastes like Thanksgiving leftovers in the best way possible.

Pumpkin pie was introduced to the holiday table at the Pilgrim's second Thanksgiving in 1623. Decorate this American classic with some whipped cream, or serve the cream alongside.

An adaptation of a recipe from Nashville's Zola restaurant. Chef-owner Debra Paquette and pastry chef Renée Kasman created this sophisticated dessert.

Present the turkey before carving it. I suggest garnishing it with fresh sage and kumquats.

Kumquats lend their bright citrus snap to a no-cooking-required relish.

Greens are a direct part of African-Amercans' African heritage. Dishes using leafy greens abound in the cooking of the African Atlantic world. They turn up as a couve in Brazil, as a callaloo in the Caribbean, as sauce feuilles in French-speaking West Africa, and simply as greens in the southern United States. The African-American twist with greens is in the manner of cooking. We cook 'em long and slow —down to the proverbial "low gravy"— (but then again that was the way all vegetables were cooked in much of the past). The real innovation is in the eating: We savor not only the greens but also their cooking liquid or "pot likker," a rich source of vitamins and iron.

"Although desserts are not my forte, I wanted to send in this simple yet impressive dessert, which contains only five ingredients," says Debra Anderson of Destin, Florida. "It reminds me of the beautiful pastries displayed in bakery shop windows in France."

Cheese production increased in the nineteenth century when dairy cooperatives were formed in Minnesota and Wisconsin; now, that area of the country is known for making outstanding cheese. In this recipe, white cheddar goes into a rich and creamy potato gratin that is a great substitute for — or, at a particularly lavish feast, a fine accompaniment to — mashed potatoes.

Plain old mash potatoes just may be a thing of the past. Nowadays, everything from turnips to kohlrabi end up partnering Idaho's most famous crop; we team the russets with rutabagas and parsnips. While this homey and healthful side dish is a must with lamb shanks, it also goes well with any number of meat dishes.

From the Temple House in Ballymote, Ireland.

This dish, which is called Vietnamese Fajitas at Kim Son restaurant in Houston, works well as an appetizer or as a main course.