Winter

Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

This recipe has been in the family of senior editor Randi Danforth for generations. Her great-grandmother bought penny sponge candy to take to the movies in Minnesota. A love for the crunchy sweet led to recipe experiments in the kitchen. Randi recalls watching her mother make this magical confection--the baking soda causes vigorous bubbling. Pack it in jars or airtight tins, and store at room temperature; exposure to moisture and air will soften the candy.

To bake these tartlet shells all at once, you will need 50 tartlet pans, each 2 inches in diameter (across the top) and 1/2 inch deep. However, you could also make these tartlets in batches, using fewer pans.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe, a refined trail mix if you will, is based on mendiants, a traditional French Christmas dish that consists of almonds, figs, hazelnuts, and raisins. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Salt is a magnificent flavor enhancer. This simple low-fat recipe demonstrates how salt—and little else—can bring out the best in green beans, even in winter.

The potatoes are poached in olive oil as they often are in Spain — only some oil is absorbed; the rest is drained off. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

The mashed sweet potatoes with sage butter are a great side dish for calf's liver. We recommend asking the butcher for the freshest calf's liver available, since it can vary in quality. Soaking the liver in milk, a method typically used for pork liver, helps soften and mellow its flavor.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The dough for these simple cookies can be done ahead and refrigerated for up to two days before being sliced and baked.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Using canned yams in this old-fashioned pie makes it especially easy to prepare.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Riesling gives the dressing a delicate flavor. Crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts are sharp-crunchy contrasts with appeal.