Bon Appétit

For a heartier sandwich, coarsely chopped avocado can be stirred into the yogurt.

Serve this hearty stew with plain yogurt or raita for a high-protein vegetarian meal.

A trifle with a few twists: a white chocolate pudding and layers of dark chocolate cream and apricot puree.

This is a fabulous pudding-like dessert that's very easy to make.

This moist Christmas cake takes its cues from the flavors and spices found in the classic Lebkuchen cookie. It's brushed with an orange-scented honey syrup, frosted with a creamy white chocolate icing and then surrounded by sliced almonds.

Spicy crushed red pepper, rosemary and garlic enhance this main course. Uncork an Italian Barbera to match the menu's hearty flavors. For dessert, offer a compote of blueberries and sliced nectarines with crème fraîche (available at many supermarkets) or lightly whipped cream.

The graham cracker crunch topping is delicious on its own, but combined with ripe peaches, cinnamon syrup and ice cream, it makes for positively addictive sundaes.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This easy zuppa di pesce is a staple of the anchovy packers of Mazara del Vallo on the northwestern coast of Sicily. It always comes with bread to soak up the juices.

Old-fashioned green goddess dressing tastes as good today as it did back in the twenties, when it was invented. It's a delicious partner for mixed greens, chicken salad, cold poached salmon and sliced tomatoes.

Rich chocolate cookies get some Mexican flair when spiced up with cinnamon, cloves and cayenne pepper. Blanched almonds or pistachios can be used instead of cherries.

This Colombian-style one-dish meal is perfect for a cool winter evening.

Enjoy this dessert at room temperature if you like a creamy texture similar to that of a soufflé, or serve the cake cold if you prefer a dense, fudgey texture.

Try these as appetizers, as a salad (on a bed of greens) or as a light dessert.