Beverages

"My grandmother was a reporter in New York before she got married and moved to Montana to start a new life on a ranch," writes Joyce Litz of Albuquerque, New Mexico. "At the time she didn't know how to cook, and learning wasn't easy — the place didn't even have running water. Still, she appreciated good food, so she persevered and became a great cook. Later my grandmother taught me ranch-style cooking, a lot of which involved getting simple but flavorful, hearty meals ready in a hurry."

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Lobster and truffle oil give this dish the true stamp of indulgence.

Here, meltingly rich veal shanks combine wonderfully with the chewiness of orecchiette, ear-shaped pasta shells made of semolina (coarsely ground durum wheat).

"Here's a chicken recipe I came up with that's great for a quick weekday meal with an elegant touch" says Peter Micheli of Medford, Massachusetts. "I have used the sauce with homemade lobster ravioli, and I think it would go well with veal, too. I named this recipe after my mother, who was a great cook." We agree with Mr. Micheli — this dish is a wonderful weekday meal. But its simple elegance also makes it perfect for a party. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

(Cold Avocado Soup)

This recipe makes the Easter favorite new again with a creamy Dijon-white wine sauce. Serve with: Bandol Rosé • haricots verts with sea salt • mashed potatoes with fresh tarragon • pound cake with rhubarb compote

In winter Kay Simon sandwiches this cake with wine jelly, in summer substituting a simple purée of fresh raspberries. Wine for Cooking and to Drink Merlot is important in the Yakima Valley, and perfect for this cake.

Try this rich sauce over pasta or over the <a></a> Parmesan Polenta Squares

For more information about making petits fours, see <epi:recipelink id="">Perfect Petits Fours</epi:recipelink>.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.<P> This recipe originally accompanied epi:recipeLink=101054"Pineapple Rum Trifle Cake</epi:recipeLink>.

Italian risotto, traditionally served as an appetizer, makes a great vegetarian meal when served with a salad. In this recipe, butter and cream have been replaced with a flavorful mushroom broth. Porcini mushrooms and Arborio rice are available at Italian markets, specialty food stores and some supermarkets.

It's hard to believe that a Michelin-starred establishment would serve a dessert that's this simple, but good cooking is about knowing when to leave well enough alone. Steve prefers Irish whiskey for the ice-cream, but you can use Scotch.

You can use good, strong chicken stock for this recipe instead of homemade duck stock — it won't be as rich, but it's better than not cooking the dish at all as it is heavenly!

An accompaniment to <epi:recipelink id="13198">Spiced Venison Steaks</epi:recipelink>