Grand Marnier

A lovely champagne cocktail.

A pretty drink for brunch or lunch.

An aromatic Champagne cocktail that pairs beautifully with different herbs and spices.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"As a kid, I'd accompany my mother to her job at the racetrack, where she would lead the horses out to the starting gate," writes Michael Hunter of Studio City, California. "Eventually I was helping out in the stalls, and when I got older, I became a jockey. My mother was also the person who, in a roundabout way, inspired my other passion: cooking. I'd come home from school, and she would have prepared something from a box or can. I didn't always like what was on the dinner table, so one day I asked her to buy me a cookbook. Pretty soon I was making dinner for us almost every night. Now, after seventeen years of racing horses and cooking for family and friends, I'm making the jump to professional cooking."

To make the very thin layers for this torte, the batter is spread on inverted cake pans. It is important that the batter be spread evenly and that the layers not be overbaked. (Do not use dark metal or non-stick pans.)

Espresso and a selection of favorite liqueurs are good with the brownies.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.

If you don't feel like making your own vanilla ice cream for these red, white and blue sundaes, simply pick up a premium brand at the supermarket.