Parade

I use spareribs, but you also can use baby back ribs. Just be aware that the racks are smaller (about 1 pound each) and the ribs have less meat.

Flounder is a lean, thin fish that cooks very quickly. So be sure to cook it 4 to 5 inches from the heat source — and watch it carefully! Clover sprouts are available in the produce department of better supermarkets.

Wilt the vegetables over low heat, stirring often so they do not burn.

This glaze adds a rich shine to the turkey and also enhances the flavor of the gravy. The glaze may be prepared 2 days ahead. This recipe is an accompaniment for Maple Ginger Roasted Turkey.

Do not allow the meringue to overcolor when baking — check the oven often. Chill the pie well before serving.

Save any scraps of this dough to create a decorative design for the top of the pie.

It is essential to slice the brownie in half through the middle lengthwise; otherwise, the cake slices will be too thick.

For an impressive presentation, I always set the lemon halves in red-wine glasses, because their bowls are larger than white-wine glasses. Serve extra lemons alongside.

I recommend that you strain the blackberry mixture, because the little seeds will only get caught in your teeth.

Yogurt gives this dressing tang and lightens it a bit for the weight-conscious.

Leave the roots on the leeks while simmering them so they don't fall apart. Afterward, trim off the roots very close to the bulb end.

Kathy Lee, Valley Center, Calif.
If you can't find a package of thighs at the market, buy whole chickens. You (or the butcher) can cut up the chickens and freeze the leftover pieces for another use.

This recipe is a yummy one-pot entrée from The Elements of Taste, by Gray Kunz and Peter Kaminsky. The secret here is browning the meat.

Fresh blackberries are plentiful in July and August, but since we must use frozen in the winter, be sure they're individually quick-frozen (available in plastic bags in the supermarket). Don't use berries packed in syrup.

If you can't get fresh oregano to sprinkle on the peppers, fresh basil or parsley is just fine.

Halibut is the largest member of the flatfish family, which also includes flounder. It should be cooked with some liquid, such as wine or broth, so the fish stays moist.

Use baby beets or the smallest you can find.

Remove the kernels from the cobs by holding each ear of corn upright on a flat surface and running a chef's knife along the cob and cutting downward, as close to the cob as possible.