European

Breakfast in Italy is a sweet and simple affair that typically consists of a cup of cappuccino and a pastry. This cake is like tender shortbread.

"On our honeymoon in Hawaii, my husband and I enjoyed dinner at Princeville Resort's La Cascata restaurant on Kauai's north shore," writes Jamie Smietan of Rancho Santa Margarita, California. "I tried the crème brûlée which had a rich coffee flavor. A copy of the recipe would be the perfect souvenir." Begin preparing this a day before you plan to serve it. The sugar is caramelized quickly under the broiler, but a small blowtorch (made for the kitchen) would work well, too.

(Pollo alla Diavola) This entrée, a specialty of Florence, can be found at restaurants throughout Tuscany. If you see alla diavola on an Italian menu, it means that dish will be slightly spicy. Chicken alla diavola is usually flattened, then blackened on a grill or under the broiler, but the same technique works well on the stove, too. This recipe uses game hens to stand in for the smaller chickens of Tuscany, and a heavy pot takes the place of the brick.

This impressive dessert features two classic components: the buttery sponge cake known as genoise and the rich frosting known as ganache. Making the genoise and syrup ahead eliminates last-minute fuss. Any leftover ganache can be chilled, rolled into balls and presented as another classic: truffles.

(Vanilla Custard Sauce)Use the left-over eggs yolks from Rosewater Angel Food Cake to make this dessert sauce. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Start with crudités and dip, and accompany the entrée (opposite) with sautéed carrots.

This satisfying pasta is an easy-to-make entrée to serve after a night on the town. Just add a salad, bread, and some sorbet and biscotti to complete the meal.

This recipe is made to accompany Almond Cookie Cups with Sauternes-poached Apples and Frozen Sauternes Mousse

Button mushrooms would also be fine here. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Even easier: Use purchased pesto to help speed up the preparation.