Dried Fruit

This was inspired by the Chicken Marbella recipe in The Silver Palate Cookbook. Partner it with couscous and carrots tossed with fresh mint. Afterward, spoon chopped chestnuts in vanilla syrup (a combination sold in jars) over vanilla frozen yogurt.

Aunt Jemima’s Pancake Flour, first marketed in 1899, was America’s original ready-mix food. Until the mix became nationally available in 1910, Americans thought of pancakes only as a hearty wintertime breakfast. But with the convenience offered by a mix, flapjacks were established as a quick anytime meal. Here, we’ve taken a few modern liberties with the favorite breakfast standby, with great results.

A light-textured baked apricot meringue.

These dessert packages are fun to make and a clever way to serve strudel. Try either tart dried cherries or the sweeter dried Bing - both available at specialty foods stores and most supermarkets.

For this recipe, it's best to choose a head of cauliflower with a very dense crown so that the "steaks" will hold together during cooking. However, even if they separate a bit, the dish is still delicious.

For a more delicate cookie, chop the raisins instead of adding them whole (most easily done with an oiled knife).

A celebration of midwestern cherries.

Michael McLaughlin, cookbook author, says, "Not all Thanksgiving traditions originated decades ago. This recent addition to my holiday menu lineup was inspired by my move to Santa Fe. With locally grown green chilies readily available and pine nuts growing on piñon trees right outside my back door, a southwestern-style stuffing incorporating both ingredients seemed a natural. The tequila-soaked raisins are a sweet surprise." Make the corn bread a day ahead.

Marge Dawson of Ivoryton, Connecticut, writes: "My daughter and I went to Thali, an Indian restaurant in New Canaan, Connecticut, and had a superb meal. I have never been a fan of rice pudding, but their version was out of this world. Is there any chance you could get the recipe?"

Sicilian cooking is hot right now, so we've taken some of its classic, assertive ingredients and put them into a hearty stuffing. It's something new for the turkey. See how to chop peppers .

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

"I had the pleasure of dining at Bacco restaurant during one of my many visits to New Orleans," writes Scott J. Grande of Ormond Beach, Florida. "It's run by Ralph Brennan, who is a gracious and accommodating host. The pork tenderloin on escarole that I had for dinner was delicious; I hope you'll be able to get the recipe for my collection." Bacco is one of eight New Orleans restaurants run by members of the Brennan family. At Bacco, this pork tenderloin is served with garlicky mashed potatoes.

This tsimmes created by Chef Lenard Rubin of the Phoenician Club in Phoenix, Arizona, is so good that I sometimes serve it alone without stuffing it into the chilies.

The fennel seeds add a nice dimension to these tender scones.