Vegan

Raisins or dried cranberries could easily stand in for the dried tart cherries.

For ice pops without alcohol, use pineapple juice instead of rum.

Feel free to add, subtract, or substitute any raw or cooked vegetables you'd like, but make sure there's a good variety of textures and colors.

This soft polenta is good topped with parmesan and fresh thyme and rosemary.

Chinese five-spice powder, cardamom and pears give an intriguing flavor.

"The Indians and English use them much," wrote one visitor to New England in 1663, "boyling them with Sugar for Sauce to eat with their Meat, and it is a delicate Sauce." Although there is little evidence that cranberry sauce was served at the first Thanksgiving, it is assumed that Indians brought it to the feast. This tangy version gets its intense flavor and color from a mixture of fresh and dried cranberries, along with frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate.

This recipe yields enough dressing for both the seafood salad and the rice .

Dried Fruit and Nut Paste The Passover meal typically includes haroseth, which symbolizes the mortar used by Israelite slaves in Egypt. Recipes can vary greatly, depending on the country of origin. Haroseth is used as a condiment — almost like a chutney — and would be good with many kinds of roasted meat or poultry. This spicy version is based on a recipe from Yemen. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

If there is any "magic" to our cooking, it's in seasoning mixes such as this. With this mixture, we try to unmask the depth of flavor in our native seafood, not overpower it. We want every bite to display a full flavor profile, so we liberally sprinkle seasoning on the entire piece of fish. That means both sides. Make a decent-sized batch of this mixture so it will always be handy, then rub it or sprinkle it on the food. Remember, mixtures such as this cost very little to make yourself but quite a lot if you buy them at retail.

Colorful, refreshing and delicious.