Oven Bake

We make half of this mac 'n' cheese plain, for kids, and into the other half we stir some chipotle chiles to give it a grown-up kick. Any tubular pasta will do, but we like to use cavatappi, a ridged, spiral macaroni that lends the dish a particularly festive air.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Roasted Pork Chops with Serrano Ham Vinaigrette .

This dressing is best cooked in a dish of its own, which also allows the top layer of bread to brown to an appealing crisp.

"About a year ago, I discovered a new restaurant in town called Babalu's," writes Richard Shipman of St. Louis, Missouri. "It serves terrific Caribbean food, including a flavorful chili-coated salmon."

Uncork a bottle of hearty Chianti to go with the great Italian flavors in this new twist on a traditional tomato-sauced pizza.

Inspired by New Orleans's barbecue shrimp, our recipe substitutes chipotle chiles for the traditional cayenne and black pepper. Though this dish is often served as a first course in restaurants, our version is intended as a main course. Use the bread for scooping up the sauce. You could add a green salad or, better yet, stick with the out-of-hand theme and serve it with corn on the cob.

Serve with pan-fried potatoes. What to drink: A crisp Sauvignon Blanc from California or New Zealand, or a French Sancerre.

Lemon peel gives extra zip to this warm, garlicky bread. The recipe makes enough for everyone to have more than one helping.

Instead of Panela, other soft white Mexican cheeses — such as Oaxaca, or those used for making quesadillas — work well in this recipe. If none is available, substitute Monterey Jack cheese. The stuffed chilies can be assembled one day before baking. What to drink: A Napa or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (or any dry but fruity white wine).

Tenderize the boneless chicken breast halves by flattening them as you would for a chicken piccata, then marinating in lemon juice. What to drink: A crisp Sauvignon Blanc is ideal with both the breaded chicken and the asparagus risotto.

To begin, fill a platter with slices of bresaola and mozzarella, and also serve a warm salad of roasted peppers. The spinach, basil and ricotta puree and orzo with lemon peel are terrific with the chicken, as is a dry white wine like a Greco di Tufo. Dessert should have an Italian accent, too: Try slices of fresh pears topped with mascarpone and a warm walnut-caramel sauce.

These are great with almost any kind of stuffing — corn bread, oyster, sausage, you name it. Pour Spanish wine throughout the meal: a chilled white Albariño or a red Rioja.