Buttermilk

This recipe originally accompanied Smoked Chicken Salad on Toasted Corn Bread Triangles . The corn bread is great on its own, too.

Jalapeño chilies give this a nice spicy kick. An accompaniment to Chicken Chili Verde .

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

It's so easy to make these processor-quick biscuits ahead if you like. Then reheat, split and fill them with ice cream and berries just before serving.

This recipe, given to me by my aunt, was given to her by her mother. Everyone agrees that it is absolutely delicious. The contrast between a sweet cake and a slightly spicy apple filling is piquant and delightful. The cake layers resemble large sugar cookies.

Also try this with scrambled eggs, omelets or a big bowl of chili.

The heartland is known for its grains and its pork; this first course features two of the region's best products—corn and bacon.

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

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

We adapted this from the recipe for Supper Onion Pie, in the "Savoury Pies" section of Nigella Lawson's _How to Be a Domestic Goddess._We played with the crust to make it lighter and substituted a yellow onion for the red ones (they turned an unappetizing mauve). We love the way Lawson's books are written—and agree she's got some great ideas—but we think you should know you may need to tinker with the recipes before they yield dishes that appeal to an American palate.

Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Mocha custards are the "coffee" part of this whimsical "coffee and doughnuts" dessert.

Whether at home or on vacation, pancakes are a family affair at Debra's house every Saturday morning, and banana is her children's favorite kind. But don't limit yourself: blueberries, strawberries, and nectarines all taste equally delicious. Try lightly toasting the pecans for a decidedly adult flavor, or substitute chopped walnuts.

My mom ate a lot of things — frogs' legs, escargots, sweetbreads — that horrified me as a child, but I took to caviar right away. She didn't use the good stuff, but even made with supermarket roe, this dish makes an elegant impression. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min (includes making pancakes)

Chef Susan Goss says that the secret here is in her cast-iron skillet. Nonstick pans produce anemic, soft corn bread. This recipe also works well with corn-stick or muffin molds, as long as they’re well-seasoned cast iron. If your pan is hot enough, the batter will immediately rise and start to cook around the edges. (The restaurant’s skillets rarely leave the oven.) At Zinfandel, the corn bread is served with a wonderful spread. To make it, combine 1 stick of softened unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons buckwheat honey (another honey or pure maple syrup can be substituted).