Almond

This float was inspired by the Italian dessert affogato al caffé, which consists of ice cream that has been "drowned" in hot coffee. We added caramelized sugar to the coffee for extra depth and topped it all off with whipped cream, toasted nuts, and chocolate shavings. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 30 min

These adorable sweets are festive, fun — and so easy to make. Just be sure to freeze the scoops of ice cream overnight before dipping and coating them.

Carrot Torte This cake is from the Veneto region in northern Italy. Use the sweetest, most flavorful organic carrots you can find—otherwise it will be a big "so what."

This is not a traditional chili and has no connection with any Mexican or Texas recipe. It was devised simply as an experiment and turned out to be delicious.

Blancmange is a jelled molded pudding (similar to a bavarian) that is made with almonds and milk and is served cold, often with a fruit sauce. Originally, the dessert was thickened with powdered almonds; today gelatin is used in their place. This dessert is said to hail from the Languedoc region of France.

Roasted baby potatoes and steamed asparagus with blue-cheese dressing make appealing sides. Layer sugared sliced strawberries and whipped cream in goblets for dessert.

Marisol likes to serve the Candied Butternut Squash atop the couscous.

"Biscotti have become very popular recently, but my mother-in-law, Helen, has been baking them for years," says Janet Mercuri of North Royalton Ohio. "Now that I've started using her recipe, friends tell me that my biscotti taste just like their grandmothers' —and I'm not even Italian." These have a subtle anise flavor and would be nice with a caffè latte.

Lime curd and tart cranberries are balanced by a layer of sweet white chocolate cream. For best results, use imported white chocolate, such as Lindt or Perugina. Begin preparing the tart two days before you plan to serve it.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Ground almonds create texture and thicken the sauce of pollo almendrado—our homage to New York's large Mexican and Central American population.

Studies from Northwestern University and the University of Kentucky indicate that fiber-rich bran from oatmeal can actually reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.

Prepare this cake a day ahead.

A veg-forward main or gets-along-with-everyone side.

A make-ahead pantry salad that's friendly on the wallet too.

As energizing as an energy bar, with a much simpler ingredient list.

This laid-back Italian tart is made with a tender, buttery shortbread crust, filled with apricot jam, and blanketed in a layer of sliced almonds.

Nutty and deeply chocolatey, these brownies just so happen to be gluten-free.