Simmer

This is my favorite way to cook winter squash. You peel, and slice it, then cook it in a skillet with cider and winter herbs. When most of the liquid boils away, the cider forms a tart-sweet glaze around the now-tender squash. Delicata is a wonderfully firm-textured squash that's not too sweet and almost like a potato. Other varieties like acorn, turban, or kabocha will make good substitutes, but they may not hold their shape quite as well through the braising.

"I'm only satisfied if my food looks as good as it tastes," writes Mikal Altomare of Albuquerque, New Mexico. "So when I set out to make something new, I combined carrots with cilantro, curry and apricot preserves for a side dish that is fresh, colorful, sweet and spicy."

Tostadas caseras — corn tortillas that have been seasoned and fried — can be found with the tortillas in most supermarkets. The soup can be made one day before serving.

"Last year I spent the holidays in Arizona with my aunt and uncle, who took me to a restaurant in Scottsdale called CREW," writes Lisa C. Holley of Washington, D.C. "I loved the goat cheese and mixed-green salad with candied nuts, and have looked for similar recipes on-line. I haven't found anything nearly as good." The candied almonds in this recipe are also delicious as a snack on their own—or sprinkled over ice cream.

Lobster stew is a very traditional dish made with lobster, milk, butter, salt, and pepper. You will find this in many restaurants in Maine, the best being the ones with the most lobster. I have embellished on the original dish but have left intact the strong and rich lobster flavor. When Craig Claiborne asked me to put together a New England Thanksgiving dinner, this was the soup I served. It is also great as a hearty main course soup.

Cubed and cooked simply with small white onions, Yukon Gold potatoes are combined with crème fraîche and butter while hot.

For a variation, you could throw in a cup of cooked vegetables left over from Thanksgiving to add texture to this creamy chowder. Serve the soup with chowder crackers, along with a spinach and pear salad. Purchased apple turnovers would make an ideal dessert.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

The crunchy honey-almond praline pieces in the ice cream are an easy, homemade version of turrón, a popular Spanish candy.

I've often made this luscious spread with little yellow plums gathered from my friend Ilene's fruit trees. Red or purple plums work equally well. Because fruit butters are slowly cooked down to a thick paste, they require a good deal of stirring to prevent scorching. Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 3 hr (plus 1 day for flavors to develop)

Though you may associate bocconcini with the tiny mozzarella balls sold at Italian markets and cheese shops, the word simply means "little bites" (the veal in this stew is cut into bite-size pieces). When purchasing dried porcini, look for packages containing large, flat, recognizable slices of the mushroom. Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

If you can, buy fresh shrimp with shells and heads still intact. If the heads have been removed, don't worry. Peel the shrimp and use the shells to make shrimp stock. Put the shells (and heads) in a small stockpot. Add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 hour. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine sieve, and set aside. If you don't have shrimp stock, water can be substituted.

The inspiration for this recipe came from a tea sandwich one of our food editors discovered at Alice's Tea Cup, in Manhattan. It's surprisingly substantial — a bit like an overstuffed deli sandwich, but not nearly as heavy.

Soaking the leek in vinegar and water helps to pull out the dirt and sand. Be sure to rinse well.

At The Riviera restaurant in Dallas, this delicious main course is teamed with steamed asparagus and fingerling potatoes roasted with rosemary.