Herbs & Spices

Make this multicolored salad a day ahead and chill it overnight for best flavor.

The pesto works well as a sauce for pasta, chicken, or fish, too.

Fried sage works on two levels to make these carrots spectacular: First, the leaves' crisp texture offsets the carrots' tenderness, and second, the aromatic oil that remains in the skillet after frying infuses the vegetable with deep flavor.

The chicken needs to marinate for at least four hours (or overnight), so be sure to start in advance. What to drink: Crisp, full-bodied white wine like Chablis or unoaked Chardonnay from California.

Ann Gillespie of Alexandria, Virginia, writes: "Because I'm balancing graduate school and a family, I try to cook things that don't take a lot of time. But I love experimenting with ingredients, so most of my recipes are easy to make and use interesting flavor combinations. This pasta dish is reminiscent of what my husband and I would cook when we were first married."

These little appetizer pizzas are perfect finger food.

A quick dip in egg and matzo meal creates a light, crisp crust for this boastworthy fried chicken. The perfect foil? A refreshing salad of mesclun greens, baby artichokes, and asparagus enlivened with a smooth, dill-flecked vinaigrette.

Improv: Skip the maple syrup and chopped ginger and add a couple of teaspoons of fresh lime juice.

Enriched with coarsely mashed potatoes, this lively soup makes for an easy supper. Serve the Accompaniments in separate bowls for an interactive touch.

This dip is also delicious with thin baguette slices, toast, crackers, or tortilla chips.

Improv: Try mussels instead of clams; substitute basil for the parsley.

If you can't find panko, cut the crust off slices of country-style bread, tear the bread into pieces, and grind it coarsely in a processor. Dry the crumbs in a 250°F oven. Do not use store-bought breadcrumbs, which have too fine a texture and give a less crispy result. What to drink: Either a dry rosé from the south of France or a full-bodied, oak-aged Chardonnay would work here.

The entrée and side dish roast together for a quick yet elegant meal.

Without the ice cream and served warm, these make a great brunch dish.

For subtle spice in this Asian-inspired soup, use half a red chile; add a whole chile for a good punch of heat.

Kansas city steaks (also known as New York strip steaks) are sirloin steaks that have the bone attached. If you can't find this cut, ask your butcher to cut the filet side off porterhouse or T-bone steaks, leaving the strip side with the bone for you. What to drink: A Merlot-based red with intense fruit and velvety tannins. Try a Bordeaux or a California blend.