Brunch

"For a dinner with company, I often pop these in the oven with a roast, then serve them on dressed mixed greens as an appetizer," writes Elsie Wollaston of Vancouver, Canada. "I also like to serve them directly from the ramekins as a brunch dish."

Juana Vázquez-Gómez of Redondo Beach, California, writes: "Growing up in Cuernavaca, just outside Mexico City, I remember my grandmother cooking elaborate Mexican meals every day. My mother continued that tradition, but not in such an all-consuming manner. For her it was a great joy to plan a menu and then invite people to help with the preparation. "The women in my life taught me the beauty of a good meal. I still use many of their recipes today, but unlike my grandmother I don't spend an entire day in the kitchen. Fortunately, my husband and kids like to cook, so I've found a balance between my grandmother's time-intensive recipes and my mother's practicality. " Juana serves these fritters for dessert, but they make a great breakfast dish, too.

Ground cardamom is worth seeking out for this recipe — it adds another dimension to the dessert. The spice can be found at many supermarkets, Middle Eastern and Indian markets, and specialty foods shops. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

French toast is always better if your bread is a little dry — a day or two old, or leave the slices out overnight. Serve these crusty slices with bacon and warmed maple syrup, jam, or marmalade, or sprinkle them with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

"The scones from Bon Bonerie in Cincinnati are moist, light and sweet," says John Van Eeckhout of Norfolk, Virginia. "When I lived in the area, one of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday morning was to read the newspaper in the bakery's adjacent tearoom while enjoying a raisin scone with clotted cream, preserves and a cup of coffee." Raisin Scones are also delicious served with butter and jam.

Swedish cooks use lots of buttermilk, and the lingonberry jam suggested as an accompaniment to these incredibly light pancakes is a typical Swedish condiment.

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

This is a classic French preparation that is easy to prepare and quite light. Once you have mastered the base, you can add any fruit that you have on hand. It is a great brunch dish since it is not quite an entrée nor is it sweet enough to be a dessert. One omelette is just enough for two people, and since I think that it is almost impossible to make an attractive omelette large enough to feed six, it is best to make one recipe at a time when feeding more than two people. You can keep the finished omelettes warm in a preheated 300° oven while you make the necessary number.

This is a typical Norman recipe, a way to use up the little bits of cheese that somehow manage to end up on a cheese platter. It is delicious.

A bit of water whisked into the eggs tenderizes them. You may fill this omelette with anything you like, of course. It makes two very generous servings. For the mushroom and goat cheese variation, sauté 1 pound of thickly sliced mushrooms in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter until they are golden and most of their liquid has evaporated. Use about 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, and 1/2 cup of chervil sprigs (you may substitute flat-leaf parsley), which you mince at the very last minute, to take advantage of their flavorful oils.

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 thing Hom likes most about this dessert is the contrast of the warm, sweet fruit and the cold, tangy crème fraîche. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 20 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

These muffins have the comforting flavor of graham crackers, with just a hint of cinnamon and sugar.