Fall

The sauce is a variation of a classic one from the Normandy region of France, where it's made with apples and Calvados.

Rick Rodgers, cookbook author and teacher, says, "The inspiration for this recipe came to me one Thanksgiving when my friends and I were sipping mugs of mulled wine while preparing dinner. I was doing a basic cranberry sauce and tossed in a bit of the spiced wine. The result was a fabulous mix of sweet and spice—and I've been making it this way every year since."

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The idea for this salad came from Carlos Conrique, who worked at Billy Cross's cooking school in Morelia, a beautiful 16th-century Mexican town. Today, Conrique is a chef at the Blue Door, in Miami's Delano Hotel, where his dishes are still influenced by his childhood in Guadalajara.

Lightly sweetened plain low-fat yogurt is a nice complement to the syrup.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A simple and satisfying side dish.

A delicious new take on an old favorite.

Here's a tangy condiment for holiday entrées; try it with pork tenderloin, roasted chicken or turkey. Begin preparing the relish a day ahead to allow the flavors time to blend.

There are a number of variations of this traditional Scandinavian Yuletide drink. Dry red wine, muscatel and sweet vermouth, with aquavit in place of the brandy, may be used. In another version, 2 bottles of dry red wine, preferably Bordeaux, are used with the quantity of aquavit increased to a whole bottle, which is poured over the flaming sugar.

The do-ahead steps make this recipe great for entertaining.