Baking

For accompaniments, toss watercress and thin slices of red onion with Dijon vinaigrette, and add chopped fresh basil to stewed tomatoes. Pecan pie can top it off.

A rich cheesecake filling is baked in a tart crust for an elegant twist on a favorite.

Try these baked apples topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

By doctoring up a purchased brownie mix, Larry came up with a recipe that's always a hit. He claims that people are usually "stunned" at how great-tasting and easy-to-make the brownies are.

This impressive dessert is the sum of many parts that can each be made several days in advance. Assemble the trifle the day before serving to allow the cake to absorb the custard and the flavors to fully develop. Active time: 2 1/2 hr Start to finish: 13 hr

(Brutti-boni) Brutti ma buoni (which means "ugly but pretty") are cookies found in many regions of Italy, usually made from finely ground almonds in a meringue base. But the Mattei bakery, in Prato, makes them in typical Tuscan style, which is quite different. The egg whites are only beaten lightly, and the nuts are coarsely ground. They are known in the Tuscan dialect as brutti-boni.

"On a recent trip to the Napa Valley, my husband and I had lunch with friends in the Cask Room at Merryvale Vineyards in St. Helena," writes Karen G. Shughart of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. "The meal was prepared by Knickerbocker's Catering. Desserts must be their specialty, because the apricot tart with cornmeal crust was fabulous." Serve this tart with or without the sweet Apricot Sauce. Cornmeal adds texture and flavor to the crust.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A tender shortbread crust with a fruit preserves filling and a chewy nut topping.

No special pan is needed to make this outstanding free-form tart. The pear filling is complemented by buttery pastry and a nice streusel topping.

Here's a candy-bar-like tart that has all the appeal of a New Orleans praline or a chocolate Turtle; this dessert version is minus the nuts.