Coconut

This dessert has been the grand finale for every type of fancy dinner at Highlands, from museum balls we've catered to family Thanksgiving meals to nightly desserts. Buttery sweet potato filling, sweet coconut, and crunchy pecans combine with a dark rum crème anglaise to make a minor classic. This also pairs well with a cinnamon crème anglaise (see Variation).

Rachel English of Atlanta, Georgia, writes: "My husband and I both love to cook (and eat), so we were excited when we heard that local chef Kevin Rathbun was opening a new restaurant, called Rathbun's, not too far from our house. We stopped by for dinner a few weeks ago and absolutely loved the fried shrimp appetizer. I just have to have the recipe." The restaurant also prepares this dish with chicken and tofu. The flavorful Thai-inspired batter gets its kick from makrut lime leaves, curry paste, and ginger ale.

Here's a great breakfast or after-workout cooler that's ready in seconds and tastes as good as one you'd get at a juice bar.

This Hawaiian drink can be made wherever fresh coconuts are available  — often in Latin-American markets and tropical regions of the U.S.

(Coconut and Mint Lassi)Lassi is a refreshing yogurt drink that is very popular in its native India and Pakistan.

(Savory Stuffed Pastries)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Sue Ellison of Edgewater, Colorado, writes: "Although I play guitar and piano, and have worked for more than 20 years as an elementary-school music teacher, at this point music is just my job; cooking is my passion. It's an interest I share with my daughter, Hannah. We do a phenomenal amount of cooking together. In fact, I think she learned how to count using chocolate chips, standing on a stool next to me at the kitchen counter while I baked chocolate croissants." Roasted pine nuts add a southwestern accent to this lightly sweetened granola. Once the granola has cooled, leave it in large chunks for a snack or crumble it into bits for a cereal topping. Either way, it will keep up to one week if stored airtight.

Because the more traditional dark fruitcakes aren't really to her liking, senior editor Sarah Belk created this one, filled with her favorite nuts and dried fruits. To make these gifts even more festive, she suggest decorating the glazed cakes with additional dried fruits and nuts.

In addition to being great with milk at breakfast time, this is nice sprinkled over yogurt, fruit or ice cream, or baked into your favorite granola cookies or bars.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr