Dried Fruit

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This zesty soup is based on a chicken and curry stew popular in the South. The origin of its name is unclear, but according to one account, it was brought to Savannah in the early 1800s by a sea captain who traveled the spice route from India.

Grating the carrots in a processor makes this one-dish meal really easy to assemble.

A healthy take on an old favorite.

This Italian version of fruitcake is dense, chewy and candy-like. Wrap it in brightly colored cellophane for giving.

Freezing the rugelach before baking helps the cookies maintain their shape. For gift giving, layer them between sheets of waxed paper and arrange in tins lined with colorful cellophane or tissue paper.

This type of dish is common in England, where all desserts are called puddings.

This version of the much maligned Christmas classic is deliciously lacking in candied cherries, giant mixed nuts and citron, but it is filled with bits of marzipan and lots of appealing dried fruit. Baking the cakes in disposable aluminum loaf pans (available at supermarkets) or in decorative cardboard loaf pans (available at some cookware stores or by mail order) makes gift giving easy; just wrap each cake in its pan in cellophane, and add a colorful ribbon.

This version of clafouti is like a custard.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The freshest greens and a blend of sweet and savory ingredients are the secrets to the appealing first course for this Italian dinner.

Always cool the stuffing completely before filling the turkey.