Nut

We liked this particular recipe with Lindt or Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate, which is around 50 percent cocoa solids. We tested the ganache with chocolate containing a higher percentage, and found the flavor too intense and the consistency less velvety. Active time: 1 3/4 hr Start to finish: 5 hr

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Gay Koenemann of Bonn, Germany, had dinner at 300 East Boulevard on a recent trip to Charlotte, North Carolina. There he was treated to the most exquisite salad he'd ever had. Although the restaurant calls it Fall Salad on the menu, it's enjoyable year-round. Dried cranberries would make a good alternative to the dried cherries.

These biscotti are equally delicious made with roasted almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts in place of the cashews.

This is a simple, delicious dessert that also makes a warming and special brunch dish or breakfast. Although many baked-apple recipes are on the lean side (my mother always ate them when she was dieting), my version is luxurious yet still homey. I stuff the apples with a mix of brown sugar, dried fruit, and nuts, then bake them in a sauce of apple cider, maple syrup, and plenty of butter, which cooks down to a rich, thick glaze. I like to use Cortlands here because of their good squat shape and their complex fruity flavor, but any firm, tart baking apple will do.

Smoked duck adds elegance to this salad. Smoked turkey would also work well.

Gorgonzola cheese adds zip to this salad.

The oatmeal and nut mixture in this dessert is usually baked on fruit; here, it is cooked on its own, then layered with currants and a pudding made with Baileys Original Irish Cream.

Two shortcuts — prepared chestnuts and a purchased corn bread stuffing base — add to the appeal of this recipe from chef and Aidells Sausage Company founder Bruce Aidells.

Apples sautéed with brown sugar and cinnamon top this almond-flavored cheesecake. Bake it at least one day in advance. For best results, use Philadelphia-brand cream cheese.

Though it's not essential to make both sauces for these wings, we think the contrast between the rich peanut sauce and the light-yet-spicy gai yang — a classic Thai sauce for poultry — is a flavor combination that shouldn't be missed.

Hazelnuts and prosciutto are combined in a seasoned butter that coats the turkey as it roasts, and also flavors the gravy.

Serve with additional honey, if desired.

This recipe is among those that reach a new level when made with sea salt and high-quality, European-style butter (like Plugrá). Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 hr

Linda Forst of Mukilteo, Washington, writes: "I attended a conference in Anaheim, California, and went to dinner at Catal Restaurant & Uva Bar in Downtown Disney. The whole meal was outstanding, especially the 'compressed salad.'" For a "compressed" presentation, the chef uses a three-inch ring mold to mound the salad in the center of each plate. You can use a cleaned-out can, with top and bottom removed, as a mold.

Active time: 35 min Start to finish:50 min

Even the ranch dressing gets a Cajun kick in this lively main-course salad.