Winter

A mix of butternut and acorn squash makes this soup silky and flavorful. Keep it bubbling on the stove to warm up any roaming ghosts and goblins as they return home from their Halloween rounds.

The piquancy comes from fresh thyme and just a bit of Dijon mustard.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Curry powder, cumin, and cinnamon give this dish a hint of the exotic.

Offer these with cocktails before dinner, or sprinkle them over holiday salads.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Dried cherries and apricots highlight this impressive version of a southern classic.

The lull between the main course and dessert is the best time to top the sweet potato pie with meringue and brown it. Cooks tempted to do this several hours ahead should be aware that the meringue will most likely weep.

Using such a tender cut of beef reduces the stew's cooking time.

"My grandmother was a reporter in New York before she got married and moved to Montana to start a new life on a ranch," writes Joyce Litz of Albuquerque, New Mexico. "At the time she didn't know how to cook, and learning wasn't easy — the place didn't even have running water. Still, she appreciated good food, so she persevered and became a great cook. Later my grandmother taught me ranch-style cooking, a lot of which involved getting simple but flavorful, hearty meals ready in a hurry." Boost the payoff with a scoop of ice cream.