Bon Appétit

A light and pretty treat with intense fruit flavors.

Tender shortcakes accented with fresh and candied ginger are delicious complements to the strawberry filling.

This savory, French-inspired dish is also delicious made with mussels instead of, or in addition to, the clams. Either way, it's good with crusty bread to soak up the broth, and a glass of spicy white wine.

"When I had dinner with my son recently at Wild Abandon restaurant in Portland, our bread was served with a garlicky potato spread," says Pauline E. Dickey of Medford, Oregon. "It was a nice alternative to the usual butter or olive oil."

This refreshing mint syrup can flavor any combination of fresh fruits. Leftover syrup is great for sweetening iced tea.

This moist orange-flavored soufflé is rich with white chocolate. Offer snifters of orange liqueur to sip alongside.

The addition of the Italian aperitif Campari to fresh orange juice gives a slightly bitter taste to this light and refreshing dessert.

A rich, earthy first course or side dish.

Nonfat yogurt and low-fat mayonnaise provide a creamy base for this dipping sauce for the artichokes. It's also great with asparagus, as well as with grilled tuna, salmon, chicken or flank steak. Begin making the sauce the day before serving since the yogurt needs to drain overnight.

Sweet and tart at the same time, the compote is spooned atop creamy chilled custard for a satisfying Italian dessert.

In this terrific take on the classic Linzer-torte, an almond-cinnamon cookie crust is the delicious base for layers of chocolate and raspberries with raspberry jam. Cookie-crust stars top the whole thing off.