Wine

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 40 min

Softer than most, this version of the flavored dessert ice is spooned rather than scraped into dishes; they should be well chilled.

This gelée contains a fair amount of rosé wine, so you may want to steer children toward the playing card cookies and other desserts. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 10 hr

This entrée from Chateau Lake Louise at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, would be perfect for a dinner party. The fish is especially good accompanied by broiled red onion slices and steamed asparagus. To make this even easier, have the salmon skinned and boned at the fish market.

A simple dessert sauce that is absolutely delicious spooned over scoops of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

(Risotto con Regagli) The thrifty Italian Jewish cook wasted no part of the chicken. And it's easy for us to buy inexpensive giblets for this rich and delectable risotto. Donatella Pavoncello, in her delightful Dal 1880 ad oggi: la cucina dalla mia famiglia, cooks the rice in the giblet sauce and spoons some reserved sauce on top. I find it's easier to make the sauce, cook the rice, and then combine the two. That way you don't run the risk of gummy overcooked rice. Incidentally, this sauce is also wonderful tossed with pappardelle.

Here, turkey stands in for the traditional veal in a do-ahead entré. Have your butcher bone, roll and tie the turkey breast.

Serve these onions with pan-browned veal rib chops or roast chicken.

Be sure to have the butcher bone the veal chops. Serve this elegant main course with vegetables.

Brunch drinks get updated with this take on the traditional duo of orange juice and champagne. Note that freshly squeezed orange juice is not the best choice here, as its intense taste can overwhelm the other juices. Topping the drink with a boysenberry "floater" creates a vibrant color contrast.

To my way of thinking, the traditional way of serving hanger steak is the best. The steaks are quickly pan-roasted—they're best served medium-rare (although in France they're often served "bleu," so rare that they're almost blue and only just warm in the center)—and sauced with shallots that have been cooked to a compote's consistency with red wine and vinegar and then tossed with butter and herbs. Whether you sauce the steaks or not (sometimes small bistros in France will serve the steaks with just a spoonful of butter and some sea salt or a pot of strong mustard), I hope you'll serve them with the greatest and most classic accompaniment: pommes frites, French-fried potatoes.