Banana

A remarkably easy dessert that doesn't even require an ice cream maker.

Serve the curry with steamed white rice and Indian beer, and make a stop at an Indian restaurant to get some samosas — savory filled pastries — to pass as appetizers, and the flatbread called naan to sop up the curry sauce. For dessert, how about assorted teas and a carrot cake?

Jennifer Martin of Portland, Oregon, writes: "I am not formally trained in cooking but grew up working in food service, from chopping vegetables at food festivals to catering parties for a little extra income. Today I own Epicure Custom Cooking, a gourmet takeout shop and catering company with a few tables for dining. Our specials change weekly and are geared toward what I like to cook and eat. I simply love the business, even with my 12-hour days." Use bananas with some black spots on the skin, a sign that they are really ripe.

Pass a pitcher of cold low-fat or nonfat milk to drizzle over this cereal.

An easy side dish for ham or chicken. The dressing can be made a day ahead.

Purchased sorbet, frozen yogurt and pound cake make this the season's quickest elegant dessert.

Refreshing in looks and taste, these light fruit sorbets served in a colorful raspberry sauce are perfect after a filling seder meal. There will be leftovers of each sorbet to enjoy later.

Don't save shortcakes just for strawberry season. They're also delicious served with other fruits, like this tropical combination.

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

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 25 min

(Batido) This milk shake is a Puerto Rican and Cuban favorite; Palacio de Los Jugos on Flagler Street in Miami specializes in jugos and makes great tropical-fruit batidos. The fruit combinations are endless — try a mixture of strawberry and kiwi or guava and pineapple — and you can even use coconut milk instead of whole and spike with a shot of rum.

From Goldie's by the Bridge, North Tarrytown, New York.

A real winner: Delicate "purses" of phyllo pastry hold a banana and hazelnut filling. They're served with white chocolate sauce and a crunchy hazelnut crumble.

The upside-down cake—so popular in the fifties and sixties—has been making a come-back lately. This version has a banana, walnut and maple topping, and tender cake.