Bon Appétit

Mexican coffee is spiked with Kahlúa, but in these simple puddings, the liqueur is on top, whipped into cream.

A fragrant and exotic dish.

Round out the meal with potatoes and a green salad, if desired.

The beans need to soak overnight.

This richly flavored chili pays homage to the Texas "bowl of red," in which meat is the star. Mole paste, ancho chile powder, and cumin add depth of flavor. Set out bowls of beans, cheese, onions, and other garnishes so that guests can have their chili just the way they like it.

A comforting dessert that's a cross between a soufflé and a cake.

The chops don't need to marinate long to take on great herby flavor.

Be sure to use wild smoked salmon, preferably from Alaska.

Grapefruit and chocolate make a surprisingly delicious pairing. Star anise adds an underlying spiciness to the tender cookies.

This comforting, risotto-like take on kale makes a great vegetarian entrée, and it's also good topped with a piece of roasted salmon fillet. Farro is also known as emmer wheat. Be sure to buy semi-pearled, or perlato, which doesn't need presoaking.

You may want to consider making an extra batch of this brittle just for snacking.

Bison meat is very lean and is best served rare or medium-rare.

The combination of crumbly cookie crust, chocolate filling, and crunchy brittle is reminiscent of a candy bar. The smooth, rich filling is a blend of bittersweet chocolate and carob, which is made from the pods of the carob tree. The addition of carob cuts the richness of the chocolate and adds an appealing earthy flavor.

No, it's not a mistake. This cake really doesn't contain any eggs. The oil in the batter makes the cake moist; the rest of the ingredients provide enough structure to give the cake a great crumb.