Bon Appétit

Because the beans need to be soaked overnight, start making this a day or two before you plan to serve it.

Cream of coconut is added to the batter and the whipped cream frosting. You can make and chill the cake up to one day ahead.

"I literally didn't know how to boil an egg until I was in my 20s — when I tried to impress a guy by making dinner for him," writes Sally Siegel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "I didn't have much success with the dinner or the guy, but I regrouped and put together a repertoire of fairly elegant dishes I felt confident making. Over the years, my cooking style has become more casual; I make dishes that are not too demanding, but still special for company."

Frangipane is a classic pastry filling with ground almonds. Here, pistachios are also added. Both the pastry and the filling can be made one day before baking.

This recipe calls for a double dose of rosemary — it's used in the marinade for the lamb and in the aioli that's served with it.

Make the cake a day ahead so that it has plenty of time to chill.

The almond biscotti for the easy crust are available at supermarkets, bakeries and Italian markets. The recipe is from chef Kimball Jones of Wente Vineyards Restaurant in Livermore, California.

Mashed banana gives this dessert extra moistness.

A colorful one-dish meal with lots of flavor. If you like things spicy, use the larger amount of cayenne pepper.

A rich side dish for pork or lamb chops.

Guests take part in the fun by assembling their own sandwiches with colorful roasted peppers, mixed greens, tomatoes, chipotle mayonnaise and jalapeño Monterey Jack cheese. Serve chilled sodas and iced tea.

Fresh-tasting and colorful, this salad would go well with pizza bianca or calzones. It would also be delicious tossed with penne for a quick pasta salad.