American

Pumpkin adds beautiful color to the all-American cheesecake while pecan praline makes a southern-style topping. Begin preparing this cake a day ahead.

Serve this newfangled main-course salad with a crisp flatbread, such as lavash, and white wine or rosé spritzers.

The 1970s saw perhaps the biggest change in cooking in this century. That's when a group of talented young chefs in France came up with "nouvelle cuisine," emphasizing fresh ingredients, elegant presentation, and interesting and unusual combinations of foods and flavors. American chefs quickly imported it and made it into something uniquely their own. For our take on this landmark in contemporary cooking, we've shaped purchased puff pastry into individual tartlet, filled them with pistachio frangipane and sliced pears, and topped it all off with a sweet-wine glaze.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Unlike the topping on German chocolate cake, which is soft and gooey, the coconut-pecan crust on this cake-like brownie is baked, making it crisp.

New York City's classic dessert gets a luxurious lift from chestnuts.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cajun flavors—andouille sausage, corn bread, red bell pepper and cayenne pepper—combine in an excellent side dish that brings color and spice to the Thanksgiving table.

Oyster stuffing is more traditionally associated with the New England states, but this one teams the shellfish (also common to Pacific waters) with a classic ingredient from Northern California—sourdough bread. It's an outstanding rendition of an old-fashioned stuffing.

These ice cream sandwiches are served at Hula Grill in Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii.

Around the Gulf and other coastal regions of the United States, African-Americans revel in shrimp. In this recipe, the shrimp are spiced twice, once while cooking and a second time in an overnight marinade. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

This is just the ticket for spicy-food aficionados. Serve it over rice-and keep a fire extinguisher nearby. If your taste is a little less adventurous, start with only 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes; then adjust as the mixture cooks.

There's an extra hit of flavor from crystallized ginger in this scrumptious layer cake.