Nut

The recipe for this bread pudding was created by the Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania's Central Bar & Grill's former pastry chef, Alison Barshak. She is now the executive chef at Striped Bass in Philadelphia.

The Pennsylvania Dutch settled in the places where they found the most black walnut trees. Toasted walnuts add crunch and flavor to this terrific salad.

A suitably named pasta salad that's loaded with flavorful ingredients. Try it with grilled veal chops or Cornish game hens.

We asked pastry chef Michael Laiskonis if we could compare two versions of the custard in his tart: one made with fresh pumpkin, the other made with canned, which he likes for its reliable consistency. When we tested the two tarts, we were surprised to find that we also preferred the custard made with canned pumpkin — but the choice is yours.

This dairy bread pudding–like custard baked between layers of matzo is delicious for brunch or dessert.

Filled with a mixture of nuts, brown sugar, honey and grated orange peel, this tart will dress up any holiday table. Serve it with whipped cream and, if desired, the Orange-Cranberry Compote

These delicious chocolate chip cookies are worth the calorie splurge.

Active time: 1 hr. Start to finish: 1 hr.

One recipe, two different looks: Half of the cookies are rolled in granulated sugar mixed with cardamom; the rest are sprinkled with a powdered sugar-cardamom mixture.

Be sure to cool these cookies before transferring them to a rack—they are very soft when they first come out of the oven and need a moment to set.

This lovely finale is from Dwayne Fortier of La Reserve in Houston. Begin preparing it well before serving, as the mousse needs to freeze for at least six hours.

The crusts for the tartlets are as simple as frozen puff pastry cut into small rounds.