Sage

Robust ingredients and an elegant presentation: This dish captures all the romance of winter fireside dining. Break out a bottle of good Chianti to pour with supper.

Regarded as peasant food for centuries, polenta achieved culinary stardom in the past few years, thanks to widespread exploration of all aspects of Italian gastronomy. Polenta can be enjoyed in its soft, creamy state right after being prepared; or it can be chilled in a loaf pan, sliced and cooked on a grill or griddle. Try this soft version with sausages. The coarse polenta specified is sometimes labeled "stone-ground corn grits."

We've combined two holiday heavy hitters — chestnut stuffing and sausage stuffing — into one delicious dish. We call for bacon in addition to fresh pork to bring in a bit of smokiness.

Pork, always a favorite in the Midwest and the South, gained popularity early in the century. Immigrants from pork-loving countries such as Germany and Poland were crowding the cities and finding that fresh pork, a luxury back home, was abundant and affordable. Recipes of the time called for pan-frying chops, covering them with apples and baking them for an hour or so. But that would leave today’s pork, which is less fatty, very dry. Here, brining is the trick for making pork chops flavorful and juicy.

Bruschetta — a rustic Italian canapé — is the perfect vehicle for the robust flavors of late summer. Serve these topped toasts as a first course or, with a salad and a glass of wine, as a light supper.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe originally accompanied Roast Turkey with Bourbon Glaze . Here are two southern favorites in one colorful stuffing. Prepare the corn bread one day ahead so that it can dry out overnight. (This lends a nice texture to the stuffing.)

This recipe was created to accompany Roasted Salmon with Salsa Verde .

This "stuffing" has a soft, custard-like texture and should not be baked inside a bird.

Brussels sprouts sautéed with bacon are good served alongside. Pour a Zinfandel, Syrah or Chardonnay during the meal.

"At the restaurant Mimosa, the food, service, and ambiance transform a night in Los Angeles into an evening in Paris," says Michele Winkler of Sherman Oaks, California. "There, we had a delectable roast pork that was succulent on the inside, with a marvelous crust. We would love to prepare it at home." You can order the inexpensive "Boston" roast called for in this recipe from your butcher. In late-18th-century New England, some pork cuts were packed into casks or barrels, known as "butts," for storage and shipment. The way the pork shoulder was cut in the Boston area became known in some regions as "Boston butt," a moniker still used today almost everywhere in the United States, except Boston.

Can be prepared in 45 minues or less.

Chilies and corn—staples of the southwestern diet—are the hallmarks of this stuffing. Its intense corn flavor comes from a mixture of corn bread, corn chips, corn kernels and cream-style corn. It gets its zip from poblano and jalapeño chilies.

Serve any leftovers for breakfast or a late-afternoon snack.