Bon Appétit

Potato salad with a southwestern kick‑the perfect partner for grilled flank steak, chicken or red snapper seasoned with cumin.

A nice do-ahead starter for an elegant meal.

Cobb salad was created at the Brown Derby, which opened in Los Angeles in 1926. Owner Robert Cobb placed diced vegetables, chicken and cheese on a bed of greens, and topped it all with his French dressing. Most of the ingredients for this recipe can be found at supermarket salad bars.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This delicious pasta uses store-bought pesto.

These can be prepared one week ahead.

These light, tender, and delicious scones are a breeze to make with the aid of a food processor.

Because the beans need to be soaked overnight, start making this a day or two before you plan to serve it.

Cream of coconut is added to the batter and the whipped cream frosting. You can make and chill the cake up to one day ahead.

"I literally didn't know how to boil an egg until I was in my 20s — when I tried to impress a guy by making dinner for him," writes Sally Siegel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "I didn't have much success with the dinner or the guy, but I regrouped and put together a repertoire of fairly elegant dishes I felt confident making. Over the years, my cooking style has become more casual; I make dishes that are not too demanding, but still special for company."

Frangipane is a classic pastry filling with ground almonds. Here, pistachios are also added. Both the pastry and the filling can be made one day before baking.

This recipe calls for a double dose of rosemary — it's used in the marinade for the lamb and in the aioli that's served with it.

Make the cake a day ahead so that it has plenty of time to chill.

The almond biscotti for the easy crust are available at supermarkets, bakeries and Italian markets. The recipe is from chef Kimball Jones of Wente Vineyards Restaurant in Livermore, California.

Mashed banana gives this dessert extra moistness.