Pork Tenderloin

Cold cooked rice (made at least 1 day ahead) is the secret to delicious fried rice, so don't cook a fresh pot for this recipe.

Combining smooth and grainy Dijon mustards results in a sauce that has both depth of flavor and satisfying texture.

To round out this menu, serve roasted squash, corn muffins and boiled green beans with orange zest. End with vanilla ice cream topped with warm chestnuts in syrup.

Pipián is an earthy, pureed seed sauce that is traditional in Mexican cooking. Serve this dish with rice to soak up the sauce.

The ultimate dinner-party dish for a wintry evening, this is robustly flavorful and sophisticated. It's also simple to prepare. Market Tip: Don't buy pork tenderloins that have been pumped with salts and preservatives. Avoid anything that contains 10 percent water solution or phosphates.

Tonya Morrison of Lewis Center, Ohio, writes: "My husband and I had a wonderful time on our vacation to Kiawah Island, South Carolina. One night we had dinner at Rosebank Farms Café in Bohicket Marina Village. The recipe for their roast pork tenderloin with apple and raisin chutney would make a delicious souvenir." In this imaginative main course, the chutney adds a sweet, tart contrast to the herb-roasted pork and the rich, creamy corn.

The sweet yet tangy chutney lends an exotic flavor to grilled pork — or chicken or salmon. The dark brown sugar stands up to the other intense ingredients.

Char Siew This succulent meat is traditionally cooked hanging on hooks inside a smoking barbecue oven. This easier and faster method cooks the pork on a charcoal grill. Char siew can be sliced and used as a garnish over rice or noodles, or stir-fried with vegetables.

"The Garden Restaurant in London's Gatwick Airport Hilton hotel serves a pistachio-crusted pork loin in plum sauce that's just delicious," Pete Koronis of Clayton, Missouri. "I'd really like to try making it."

The sauce is a variation of a classic one from the Normandy region of France, where it's made with apples and Calvados.