Oven Bake

Inspired by a spicy-hot snack mixture sold by East Indian markets in the United States, we played around with the "back of the box" recipe for Chex Mix and came up with the following. The sesame sticks called for are often included in cans of mixed nuts, but they are also found, without the nuts, in boxes or the bulk bins at natural foods stores and supermarkets. If you can't find them, substitute additional cereal.

If this stuffing is to be baked inside the holiday turkey, reduce the amount of chicken broth to 2 1/4 cups.

Serve this dish with steamed white rice to catch all the juices.

Most self-respecting Italian-American cooks have a recipe for stuffed zucchini. It's a dish that's often hard to categorize, however. Is it an appetizer? A side dish? Can it function as a main course? This version, with veal, is a little heartier than most and can definitely be served as an entrée, but it can also function as a side dish or appetizer for a multicourse feast.

(Greek Lamb and Pasta Casserole)

Honey and dried currants add sweetness.

The slight sweetness of the pomegranate jus complements the peppery spice rub on the veal. The chef likes to serve these with a mélange of vegetables such as pearl onions, baby beets, and asparagus.

We recommend french fries and a watercress and pickled beet salad as accompaniments; try chocolate cupcakes for dessert.

This tart is delicious on its own, but the garnish of crisp raw beet shreds brings added intrigue. To slice paper-thin spirals of beet, we used a Japanese rotary device known as the Benriner spiral vegetable slicer. This gadget is available from Katagiri, tel. (212) 755-3566, and from Williams-Sonoma, tel. (800) 541-2233 (ask for the "spiral shredder").

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A satisfying meatless main course.

To debeard the mussels, just pull off the hairlike bits coming out of the shell.

(Sliced Potato Cake)

The juices from the clams combine with spicy Asian flavors to make a great pasta sauce.