Simmer

Called pho in Vietnam, this unusual soup is a wonderful party centerpiece dish for an informal gathering. Start out by supplying everyone with a large soup bowl and a ladle. Place the soup tureen in the middle of the table. Have each guest take a generous helping of noodles first, then some meat and broth. Each serving is topped off with shredded lettuce, sliced green onion and a squeeze of lemon juice.

This surprisingly rich-tasting cereal is a healthful rice pudding — for breakfast. If you can't find dried mango in your local supermarket or natural foods store, you can use dried apricots instead.

A mixed vegetable stew, seasoned with spices characteristic of Morocco. Serve it with rice or couscous.

Serve this hearty stew with plain yogurt or raita for a high-protein vegetarian meal.

A trifle with a few twists: a white chocolate pudding and layers of dark chocolate cream and apricot puree.

Spicy crushed red pepper, rosemary and garlic enhance this main course. Uncork an Italian Barbera to match the menu's hearty flavors. For dessert, offer a compote of blueberries and sliced nectarines with crème fraîche (available at many supermarkets) or lightly whipped cream.

The graham cracker crunch topping is delicious on its own, but combined with ripe peaches, cinnamon syrup and ice cream, it makes for positively addictive sundaes.

This easy zuppa di pesce is a staple of the anchovy packers of Mazara del Vallo on the northwestern coast of Sicily. It always comes with bread to soak up the juices.

This Colombian-style one-dish meal is perfect for a cool winter evening.

Pick up some roasted or steamed vegetables from a deli or salad bar and some corn bread to serve alongside. Vanilla ice cream topped with sliced peaches and toasted pecans would be a nice ending. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Rajas is the word for a traditional Mexican mixture of sautéed peppers and onions. Green onions work well in this version.

This recipe was created to accompany Chocolate Strawberry Orance Wedding Cake .