Root Vegetable

If you're making this entire menu in a single oven, roast the vegetables and bake the souffléed gnocchi while the lamb stands (increase the oven temperature as soon as the lamb comes out).

Food editor Maggie Ruggiero learned this method of cooking artichokes from a close friend of hers, Betty Alfenito, "prop stylist and cook extraordinaire." We love the wonderful pan sauce it yields, as well as the way it infuses the artichokes with a subtle hint of garlic.

The Ashkenazic and Sephardic traditions feature dishes with sweet-and-sour combinations such as honey and lemon. Serve this chicken with potatoes or matzo farfel, and you've got a great meal.

Everything is approximate with brisket and tzimmes, since some people can't stand prunes and others want nothing but. The amounts listed below are estimates; feel free to change them. Though Karen Stabiner calls for first-cut brisket, which is relatively lean, we prefer the more evenly marbled second cut for moister, more succulent meat.

Stout and brown sugar give these tender ribs a hint of sweetness.

Healthy bonus: Fiber from tomatoes; calcium from basil and fennel

Bubble and Squeak This British dish is said to have been named after the sounds that the potato and cabbage mixture makes as it fries.

Joy Ackerman of Cincinnati, Ohio, writes: "After cooking for a family of six for years, I've become a pro at streamlining recipes and being organized in the kitchen. My children are now grown and out of the house, but that hasn't changed how I cook or shop. I still make a monthly menu plan, and often find myself cooking my kids' favorite dishes whenever they visit." Unpeeled red-skinned potatoes give this rich, garlicky side its great texture.

This recipe takes a classic hash and turns it inside out — the potatoes aren't used in the hash, but under it.

The chicken and pickled vegetables are meant to be wrapped up in lettuce leaves and eaten with your hands.

Fresh pizza dough is now available at some supermarkets; look for it in the refrigerated deli case or use thin Boboli crusts. Piave is similar to, but a bit creamier than, Parmigiano-Reggiano. Look for it at Italian markets and specialty cheese stores.

Two elements make this dish special. Usually the smaller shanks are braised, but a whole leg works just as well and looks more impressive. Also, white wine is used for the braising instead of red. What to drink: A full-bodied Zinfandel.

If you're making this entire menu in a single oven, it's best to roast the potatoes while the pork loin stands (increase the oven temperature as soon as the pork comes out).

This side would be delicious with roasted chicken or broiled halibut.