Food Processor

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr (includes chilling)

"One night when friends were coming over for cocktails, I wanted to make some hors d'oeuvres," says Amy Sue Keck of San Diego, California. "Though most tapenades I've tasted have been made with black olives and anchovies, I only had green olives in my cabinet—and no anchovies! So I added some toasted almonds instead, and my green "tapenade" was a hit. I still make it this way."

Stuffed pastas such as ravioli are simple to make, but it is important to keep the dough soft enough to be worked easily. Always roll out and fill 1 sheet of dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

These unusual and delicious gnocchi are baked rather than boiled. To make them, the chef at L'Etoile in Madison, Wisconsin, mixes mashed parsnips with a classic French dough, known as choux paste, made of eggs, butter and flour.

This hearty salad combines the richness of baked red onion with the freshness of ripe raw tomatoes. The dressing is a savory vinaigrette with capers and anchovies. It is an ideal dish for a buffet or, with the addition of some good canned tuna, for a light lunch or picnic.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

As a crisp topping for pasta or steamed vegetables (Garlic Baguette Crumbs) or as a crucial ingredient (in the Apple Prune Brown Betty), these are worlds apart from store-bought bread crumbs. Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr (includes cooling)

Fool is a classic English dessert made by combining fruit puree with whipped cream. Here it is spooned into small crisp tartlet shells and garnished with a strawberry. Any leftover fool would make a nice treat with afternoon tea.

This recipe originally accompanied Grill-Roasted Brined Turkey with Anaheim Chile Salsa Verde . This beautiful, mild-flavored green salsa may be served heated or at room temperature. For the brightest green color possible, add the cilantro just before serving.

Cranberries originally grew wild in Wisconsin; now they are the state's leading commercial fruit crop. They're also a must on the Thanksgiving table. In this take on a holiday staple, the mincemeat filling is packed with dried cranberries, which lend a tart balance to the sweetness of the raisins.