Parade

Briefly cooking the spices brings out their oils and enhances the flavor. Before pureeing the soup, be sure the carrots are tender. Once the orange juice has been added, reheat the soup over very low heat.

I like chicken to remain moist, but it must be cooked through; so, if necessary, cook longer than recommended here. If cutting the meat in thirds is too large to handle, cut into four pieces.

Fresh pumpkin or squash puree is always delicious but not nearly as handy as canned pumpkin.

When you're cooking with veggies, don't overlook dessert! This cake has great texture, thanks to both pureed and grated carrots. It's delicious with or without frosting and great for parties.

Most supermarkets have at least one type of spiced sausage. If you don't have the time to make cornbread, it usually is sold at BBQ restaurants and diners. This recipe is an accompaniment for Maple Ginger Roasted Turkey.

The vegetables can be prepared ahead and finished up to the middle of step 3. Heat for 5 minutes before serving.

When making this salad, which is lightly spiked with jalapeño pepper, have all the ingredients prepared ahead. Then just toss them together as close to serving time as possible to keep the flavors fresh.

Joan Nathan's The Foods of Israel Today is full of intensely flavored recipes, such as this salad. Grab a copy now, while so many fresh vegetables are available.

When preparing bread salad, do not drizzle with oil and vinegar until just before serving, or the bread cubes will become soggy.

When you brush the bottom pie crust with an egg wash, you keep the fruit from making the pie soggy as it bakes. By sprinkling the top crust with sugar, it makes for a great sugary crust.

This idea comes from The Mercer Kitchen, a great restaurant in New York City's SoHo district that serves innovative, bold-flavored food. Color, as well as taste, is important here, so arrange the veggies carefully.

When tomatoes are not at their prime, baking caramelizes them and brings out the sugar, making them as sweet as summer's best.

When hard-boiling eggs, it's important to do it perfectly, or the yolks will overcook and discolor. Follow these directions carefully. Use the paprika gingerly to dust very lightly!

This syrup is good to have on hand for making sorbets and certain cocktails. A plus: It keeps for a long time.

When adding the diced vegetables to the flaked salmon, fold the ingredients together gently so that the salmon doesn't break up.

This dish is ideal for entertaining, because you can prepare the sauce ahead and then simply toss it with the cooked pasta. Do not overcook the shrimp!

Don't marinate the fish more than 15 minutes, or it will be cooked by the citric acid in the lemon juice (like the Latin dish seviche). And don't toss the vegetables until serving time, or the vinegar will discolor the beans.

All of these fruits have lots of water in them, so I hold off on the salt, which will only draw out more water and make the dressing soupy. Pepper and basil lend a good kick. Have a bowl of coarse salt nearby if desired.

Steve Delaney, West Chester, Pa.
"My recipe reflects the Caribbean influences in the foods of Miami, where I lived for many years."