Dried Fruit

Bright, fresh flavors star in this holiday salad.

The non-stick mini-muffin tins required for this recipe are available at many supermarkets.

Here's a sweet-tart addition to your menu.

Spiced cranberries top chilled orange slices for a sweet-tangy contrast in this colorful salad.

The sweet-tart filling and the flaky crust add up to one terrific pie.

A drizzle of white chocolate makes these Italian cookies holiday ready. For what it's worth, it's equally good on a classic almond biscotti, too.

In England, these crisp raisin-flecked treats are called Madeira biscuits-biscuit being the British word for cookie, and a glass of Madeira being a favorite accompaniment for this particular type.

Store-bought rotisserie chicken and frozen potatoes make quick and easy work of this dinner, which tastes like Thanksgiving leftovers in the best way possible.

A colorful, aromatic rice that is good with the Spicy Lamb Stew with Apricots and Cardamom, or with broiled chicken, fish or vegetables.

The chutney also works well as an accompaniment to chicken, duck or lamb.

This fluffy Lady Baltimore cake is layered with toasted pecans, dried figs, raisins, and frosted in a thick, luscious Swiss meringue.

Ken Haedrich, cookbook author, says, "Since moving to New England nearly twenty years ago, I've heated the house with wood-burning stoves. And because our big Thanksgiving gatherings put oven space at a premium, I've often pressed those stoves into backup duty. That's how steamed breads—which can be cooked on top of the stoves — came to be a regular part of our feast. This steamed pumpkin bread provides another way to bring good pumpkin flavor to the meal, too. I also serve my special crescent rolls on the big day. One year, my kids let it be known that they wanted croissants on Thanksgiving, but that seemed like a bit more work than I could handle. Instead, I came up with these sesame crescents—croissant-like rolls with savory onion filling. I guess they did the trick, because nobody says much about croissants anymore. Plus, I can make the crescent rolls two weeks ahead and freeze them. That way, they don't take up any of that precious oven space." Note that this bread needs to cook in an empty 28-ounce food can (such as the kind used to hold whole tomatoes).

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.