Simmer

"My husband and I just returned from a trip to Italy," writes Kim Riemann of North Brunswick, New Jersey. "Of all the great meals we had there, a few stand out in my memory. One was at Buca Mario in Florence. The rosemary-scented bean soup was unforgettable." Serve this with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

This soup can be pureed by pressing it through a strainer or a food mill. It can also be pureed in a blender and then strained.

Dried pears lend a subtle sweetness to the deep, earthy taste of this stuffing.

"My paternal grandmother liked to serve these spareribs on special occasions," writes Lyn Utsugi of Kamuela, Hawaii. "She was a great cook and even owned a restaurant on Oahu in the late 1950s. My mother learned the recipe from her and has been making the ribs since 1961, the year she married my father." Serve these with steamed rice, perfect for soaking up the extra sauce.

This recipe has a small yield, so it's not necessary to sterilize and process the jars if you plan on keeping the marmalade in the refrigerator and eating it within a few weeks. But if you want to make larger batches, process the jars. Active time: 40 minutes Start to finish: 1 day

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

Terrine de Lapin aux Olives Vertes et Pistaches Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 11 1/2 hr (includes chilling)

"When I was a medical student, the importance of good nutrition was drilled into me by my instructors," writes Laura Christie of Oakland, California. "Unfortunately, my heavy course load kept me from actually practicing everything I learned. But I began making soups, salads and one-pot meals because they were easy to prepare and because they helped me get plenty of those vitamin-rich vegetables." Ready-to-use spinach makes it easy for Laura to add important nutrients to her diet, as she does in this low-fat soup.

Cajun seasoning spikes this soup with heat, so adjust according to your taste. Serve with: Jalapeño corn bread and carrot sticks. Dessert: Cheesecake topped with thawed sliced frozen peaches.

After opening anchovies, always keep them refrigerated, or they become mushy. Use as necessary. Freshly grated cheese may be frozen until needed.

"When my son was young," writes Mary Gareffa of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, "he used to tease me for standing over the pot of sauce, stirring and simmering it slowly, but that's the way my father showed me. A sauce is like a baby; you have to be gentle with it. And I know I must be doing something right, because my grandson, Jason, called me just last week to get the recipe." This quick and easy version of Mary's heirloom recipe is ready in under an hour.

There is a tradition in Crete of gathering wild greens and using them not only in vegetable or salad dishes but also as stuffings for savory turnovers. Cretans make use of tiny leeks, wild fennel, purslane, and milkwort, as well as the more familiar greens. We have substituted a mixture of the varieties of tender greens available at most supermarkets. You can even use prepackaged mixes, such as baby Asian salad or baby braising mix.

This salad has changed the minds of many who previously found beets overpowering. The Sherry vinegar provides a nice accent, though balsamic vinegar also will work. The walnuts may be replaced with pine nuts, pecans, or slivered almonds.

This lovely first course has the texture of risotto without the constant stirring. What to drink: Arneis or Soave.