Oven Bake

Creamed spinach gets a makeover with three cheeses and a vibrant garnish.

Rich and sweet, these onions are adapted from Angela Shelf Medearis's recipe for Honey-Baked Onions in The African-American Kitchen. They're great with baked ham, pork roast, or broiled chicken.

In a classic confit, meat cooks (and is then preserved) in its own fat. Here, lemons cook in their own juices to become the basis for an overnight marinade.

Bruce Aidells, founder of Aidells Sausage Company, says, "Stuffing was the most important part of my family’s holiday menu. The turkey was always overcooked, but the stuffing was moist and delicious. We usually had two, sometimes three stuffings, but I leaned toward the kind with sausage. It was meaty and spicy, just like this one."

Steam sugar snap peas and pour a Chardonnay to go with this dinner.

"Every time I visit my sister in Los Angeles, we make a point of having dinner at Mimosa, a popular French bistro," writes Frances Candler Brown of Birmingham, Alabama. "I like to think I'm an adventurous diner, but my order there has become only too predictable: a glass of wine, a salad and the restaurant's delectable version of macaroni and cheese." This French take on macaroni and cheese has a nice assertive flavor.

This easy-to-make lasagne evolved from a pasta dish that one of us enjoyed on a trip to Portofino, Italy, some 30 years ago. Our version is even quicker, using won ton skins, which cook in a flash. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

We prefer Gorgonzola, Italy's star blue cheese, for this recipe, but if Iowa's Maytag blue — or another import — is easier to find in your area, then use it instead.

(Fish with Moroccan Seasoning) The fragrant blend of seasonings called chermoula can be used for meats and poultry as well as fish.

An easy do-ahead appetizer.

A quick appetizer or light main course.

This stuffed potato is practically a meal in itself; just add a salad, and you're all set.

"A couple of years ago I decided to become a vegetarian. As time went on, the only things I really missed were some of the heartier sandwiches I used to make," says Jill Browning of Clarendon Hills, Illinois. "But then I created this meatless pita bread sandwich that's as substantial as any hoagie—and much lower in fat."