Cornmeal

Moist, with subtle heat from the chipotles.

"On a recent trip to the Napa Valley, my husband and I had lunch with friends in the Cask Room at Merryvale Vineyards in St. Helena," writes Karen G. Shughart of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. "The meal was prepared by Knickerbocker's Catering. Desserts must be their specialty, because the apricot tart with cornmeal crust was fabulous." Serve this tart with or without the sweet Apricot Sauce. Cornmeal adds texture and flavor to the crust.

If you don't have a 2 3/4-inch-diameter cookie cutter, the same size tin can (with top and bottom removed) works just as well.

The original cornmeal batters, as made for the settlers by the Indians, consisted of cornmeal, salt and water. These simple batters quickly evolved to include eggs, butter and milk, and were the basis of many of the most celebrated Early American breads, cakes and puddings.

A flavorful turkey prepared in an interesting way. It is soaked in brine, which helps tenderize the bird, and then rubbed with a citrus-thyme butter. The butter keeps the turkey moist and also enriches the pan drippings for the gravy. The stuffing borrows from the long tradition of corn breads in America. Be sure to make the Giblet Broth before you start roasting the turkey. Pour hard cider throughout dinner. Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

Anadama bread, a traditional New England yeast bread made with cornmeal and molasses (said to have been created by a woman from Massachusetts named Anna), is the inspiration for the following muffins. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In this recipe, the oven does the frying, eliminating most of the fat, and all of the messy splatter of traditional pan-frying. This quick and easy supper will be a sure family favorite, especially if you serve it with steamed green beans, sliced tomatoes, and biscuits.

For a vegetarian version, substitute canned vegetable broth for the chicken broth; the result is equally delicious.

The crisp-crusted corn cakes of Colombia and Venezuela called arepas were the inspiration for these delicious sauce soppers. In their native habitats they can be found as thin as crêpes or as thick as scones; savory or sweet; plain or stuffed; fried, baked, or even grilled. We like these straight from the skillet — and they are even better made a day ahead and then reheated. But we really love them loaded up with the juices from a plateful of steak and chimichurri sauce .

Here's a delightful variation on the fried-chicken theme, with cornmeal adding welcome crunch. To accompany the meal, serve white wine spritzers and fresh lemonade garnished with mint sprigs.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.