Bon Appétit

If you spend one afternoon in the kitchen, there will be cookies for everyone on your list. You'll need at least a four-quart bowl to mix the large amount of dough.

A blend of spices and orange turns ordinary sautéed carrots into an exotic side dish.

This simple, delicious treat is excellent spread over scones or toast and comes together in practically no time at all.

Popsicle molds are sold at some drugstores and department stores.

Here's proof that an elegant dessert does not have to take hours to make. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

At Brigtsen's in New Orleans, chef Frank Brigtsen makes a version of this dish with duck, accompanied by corn bread and pickled onions. Offer those sides as well as some green beans, then finish with pecan pie. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For bigger matzo balls in this soup form mixture into 12 rounds and cook them for one hour ten minutes.

This dish is delicious warm, but it can also be prepared ahead, stored in a covered container and served at room temperature at a picnic. Either way, its terrific.

Here's a three-layer cake that makes a sensational finale to any meal.

Way up in Maine, in the coastal town of Blue Hill, is Jonathan's, a small place much favored by locals. Owner Jonathan Chase and chef Richard Hanson both love fish, whether from the sea or from freshwater lakes and streams. This colorful main course is good with buttered and dilled new potatoes. Round out the meal with a green salad, and end with a slice of lattice-topped blueberry pie. (If necessary, have the fishmonger bone the trout, or use four small fillets.) Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In this interesting Tunisian specialty called farka, the semolina grains take a sweet turn. It is enjoyed as a breakfast dish or afternoon snack, rather than an after-dinner dessert.

These not-too-sweet cookies are based on an old recipe seldom seen these days. Although the combination of almonds, honey and cinnamon is still a typical one, contemporary Neapolitan biscotti tend to be less aggressively flavored.

Layers of toffee-studded, coffee-flavored mousse and chocolate ganache fill an almond and sugar-cookie crust.

A good cut of meat for this recipe is the butt portion of a bone-in, water-added ham. For optimum flavor, I like to prebake the ham, then simply slice away what I need from the bone.

This versatile salad can also be made with leftover beef, lamb or chicken.

The seafood is cooked in lime juice and fish sauce, making this oil-free salad perfect for a low-fat lunch.

Called pho in Vietnam, this unusual soup is a wonderful party centerpiece dish for an informal gathering. Start out by supplying everyone with a large soup bowl and a ladle. Place the soup tureen in the middle of the table. Have each guest take a generous helping of noodles first, then some meat and broth. Each serving is topped off with shredded lettuce, sliced green onion and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.