Bon Appétit

Roasting the tomatoes concentrates their sweetness. What to drink: A dry Italian white, such as Pinot Grigio or Soave.

Because this cake has a special place in my husband's heart, I named it after him. It's best warm, so bake it as you eat dinner.

Nice as an appetizer or a simple lunch.

Make this a new version of Britain's fish and chips with (frozen) steak fries. Lemon tarts from the bakery would be good for dessert.

The Southwest’s favorite breakfast is often topped with a red sauce or salsa. This version has a tomatillo-based green (verde) sauce.

Brining the shrimp and then grilling them in their shells will help retain flavor and the natural juices.

To make quick work of the slicing, simply stack the ham and cheese and cut into strips approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide. Serve with: Sourdough rolls. Dessert: Peaches drizzled with honey.

In these sweet tartlets, sliced bananas are sprinkled with brown sugar and caramelized under the broiler. Make the chocolate custard a day ahead to allow it to chill and thicken.

An updated version of Scottish shortbread.

This colorful couscous can be prepared in about 15 minutes. To cut that down to 10 minutes, mince the carrots in a processor.

You can form the patties a day ahead, leaving only a quick frying job for the morning.

"My husband, Garry, and I do a lot of business travel together these days," writes Sheryl Hurd-House of Jupiter, Florida, "so one of our favorite things is spending a very lazy Sunday morning at home reading the paper, sipping Bloody Marys, and having a nice brunch. This blueberry croissant French toast is one of my fastest, and most popular, brunch dishes. It’s Garry’s new favorite, and when our kids come to visit, they love it, too." A rich and delicious way to use leftover croissants. Sheryl always keeps some in the freezer, just in case.

Canned chicken soup with a bit of oregano and lemon juice, accompanied by warm pita bread, starts the meal with the proper Greek flavors. Purchased baklava and strong coffee splashed with ouzo conclude the dinner in a spirited way.