Dried Fruit

Whether they're freshly baked or toasted, I love these buns and bake a batch whenever it takes my fancy, leaving off the crosses if it isn't Easter. I also like to vary the dried fruit – a mix of chopped dates, cranberries, apricots, and cherries is particularly good.

This dish features aromatic ingredients used in Persian cuisine; barberries and tart cherries are both sweet and sour, the defining flavors of Persian foods. Find these ingredients at the ethnic food sellers listed in the Resources section (page 193), or substitute more dried apricots for the barberries and dried cranberries for the cherries. The dried rose petals give this dish its distinct floral taste and stunning appearance. Find them at gourmet and Middle Eastern food stores, or dry your own on a screen. Serve with Green Rice (page 190) and Cucumber Yogurt (page 184).

If your prefer, chopped toasted walnuts or almonds can be substituted for the macadamia nuts here. Either way, the result is an elegant, easy-to-prepare candy. Pack the bark, between layers of waxed paper, in decorative tins for holiday gifts.

In Britain, these are teatime favorites, but in the States, we like them for breakfast, too. You'll get tall, flaky, buttery scones that are excellent partners with your finest jams.

These pumpkin muffins are light and fluffy.

It's hearty and health-helping: Eating mushrooms regularly may help lessen women's breast cancer risk.

Sweet, savory and anti-aging! Just one serving meets more than your daily need for vitamin A, which keeps skin aglow.

The technique: In this recipe, we started with purchased rosemary-olive bread, a single ingredient that's packed with flavor. Fennel, Speck, and raisins round out this super stuffing.
The payoff: There's lots of cooking to be done on Thanksgiving, so why not save yourself some work? Speck—lightly smoked, cured pork—adds a rich flavor to the stuffing.

Medjool dates work well in this braise, which should be served with enough couscous to soak up the delicious juices.

Pilafs may be served at everyday meals but are grand enough for entertaining as well. If you like, you could add a generous pinch of saffron threads to the rice just before you cover it and let it simmer. You could also use chicken stock instead of the 22 cup water.

The juicy Honeycrisp apple is the sweetest of the bunch. Combine it (instead of berries) with tart, creamy Greek yogurt for a seasonal, satisfying breakfast.