Grilling

This classic accompaniment to grilled meats also makes a great taco filling. Grilled chiles, peppers, and onion.

Spoon this Asian-inspired salsa over grilled tuna, swordfish, or salmon.

To make this easy appetizer even easier, substitute store-bought roasted red bell peppers for the home-roasted ones.

Ask the butcher to halve the Cornish game hens for you.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Healthy bonus: Vitamin A and lycopene from the red peppers

Editors' note: In the recipe below we cooked our Thanksgiving turkey on a gas grill, but a 22 1/2-inch charcoal kettle grill will also work. Cooking times and results may vary, of course, according to the weather and type of grill. The gas grill we used had a thermometer, and at the lowest settings, the grill (with lid closed) maintained temperatures between 350°F. and 400°F. We did not stuff this turkey because when cooking on a grill it is difficult to maintain the steady temperature to adequately cook the stuffing. Instead, we baked our chorizo, roasted corn, and currant dressing in the oven. If you prefer to roast your turkey in the oven, follow the cooking instructions given in the recipe. We brined our turkey because we love the exceptional flavor and moistness that the method imparts to lean meats. If the brining process is too much for you to take on at Thanksgiving time (a 5-gallon bucket and an extra refrigerator come in handy), feel free to omit the step. Simply season the bird with salt and then cook as directed.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

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

Orzo (a rice-shaped pasta also known as riso) can be mixed with diced summer squash, olives and red bell pepper to make a colorful bed for the lamb skewers. Toss some shredded romaine and red cabbage with an oil and vinegar dressing to serve alongside, and end the Mediterranean-style meal with honey cake from the bakery.

Begin this dish early in the day to allow the polenta to set.

Tamarind paste, from a pod with a sweet-tangy pulp, is common in Hawaiian cooking.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr

If the four-inch tortillas used at Café Iguana in Denver, Colorado, are hard to find, the standard five- to six-inch ones also work, or they can be trimmed to the smaller size.

Chiles Anchos Rellenos de Atún con Papas This is more sweet than spicy, because the chiles are softened in brown sugar and vinegar before stuffing.

Turkeys weighing 4 to 7 pounds will be excellent broiled — grilled. They must be split and cooked over low heat — far from the coals — for the first 40 minutes. Then they may be moved closer to the heat to finish cooking and browning.