Coconut

For many Southerners the holidays wouldn't be the same without coconut cake. Because coconuts can be difficult nuts to crack — especially for cooks new to the task — we offer an easy method that involves baking the coconut briefly (which does not alter the coconut's flavor appreciably). If the coconut doesn't crack while in the oven, it will once force is applied.

"My husband and I have a favorite local restaurant, Paci," says Michelle Jaffee of Fairchild, Connecticut. "Its menu changes seasonally and is always exciting. However, it just may be Paci's phenomenal coconut cake that has made us regulars. The pastry chef tells us that the recipe is a closely guarded secret. If you could persuade the restaurant to part with the recipe, I'm sure my family — and your readers — would be most grateful." At Paci, the chef serves this dessert with a chocolate espresso sauce. But we loved the buttery cake topped with fresh fruit — try nectarines or mangoes. It's perfect for summertime. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr (includes cooling)

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This granola is delicious topped with fresh fruit (we suggest kiwifruit and pineapple) or on its own, served with milk or yogurt. The recipe makes about 6 cups, so you'll have some left over.

"When we visit our daughter at Amherst College in Massachusetts, my husband and I stay at The Lord Jeffery Inn," says Caroline I. Cameron of Washington, D.C.."The granola at breakfast is terrific. I would be grateful if you could get the recipe from their chef so that I can surprise my husband by making the granola at home." This granola can also be enjoyed as a snack with the addition of chocolate chips. You could sprinkle it over ice cream, too.

A luscious caramel-lime sauce makes this dessert a real star.

Buy a heavy coconut that has no cracks and that sounds full of liquid when shaken.

You'll need a candy thermometer to monitor the fudge sauce and the marshmallows.

We decided to use sweetened flaked coconut rather than fresh coconut for this recipe because it not only saves time but enhances the overall flavor of the dish, adding a touch of subtle sweetness. Soaking the basmati rice strengthens the grains to prevent the rice from breaking down during cooking.

Marty Rosencranz of River Vale, New Jersey, writes: "Even though I am a professional chef — at the Valley Brook Golf Club in New Jersey — when I cook at home I make dishes that are good but fast. I took two years to perfect the recipe for my chewy chocolate cookies. They're so good that they are now a signature item on the club's menu." Butterscotch chips could easily stand in for the peanut butter chips.

This recipe yields enough cookies to make the crust for the Tropical Cheesecake and the crumbs and garnish for the Banana-Cream Parfaits .

From the Rainforest Cafe in Minneapolis, Minnesota.