Goat Cheese

Some classic Scandinavian flavors show up in this simple-to-make, cross-cultural pizza, made even easier by the use of frozen bread dough.

A sophisticated main course.

Here's a simple do-ahead salad that travels very well. It's also great as a side dish for grilled chicken or beef.

Purchased Boboli crusts make these pizzas a snap to prepare. Offer prosciutto and melon as another appetizer.

This strata is ideal for Christmas morning — it is assembled a day ahead and baked just before serving. Mimosas are a nice addition to the menu.

(SALADE DE LEGUMES AU FROMAGE DE CHEVRE) This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Lane Crowther, A contributing editor at Bon Appétit, says that "For twenty-five years our family endured side dishes of canned creamed corn and sweetened baked squash—simply for the sake of tradition. With this soup, I was finally able to convince everyone that a few classic Thanksgiving ingredients (like corn and squash) could be combined in a delicious new way."

Offer a small salad of baby greens with a shallot and tarragon vinaigrette.

"On Saturday mornings I like to go to the farmers' market near my house and buy whatever produce is at its peak," writes Justin Kulongowski of Portland, Maine. "One weekend I came home with all the ingredients to make this great salad."

This is a great entrée for entertaining or for a special weeknight dinner for your family. Either way, no one except you will know how easy it is to make. And your secret is safe with us.

Charmaine Haravey of Niwot, Colorado, writes: "I love spending my days in the mountains. It's one of the reasons that I moved to Boulder County. But since I started my new job, I don't have as much time to hike, ski, or enjoy my other favorite activity — cooking. Spending time in the kitchen has now become a luxury. Instead of making a complete meal in the evening, I prepare 'single-girl food' — namely cookies, grilled sandwiches, and egg dishes. But I don't use that expression negatively. For me, grilled cheese sandwiches are the ultimate comfort food."

These are nice as part of a barbecue buffet.

Play off the Provençal flavors by passing an arugula salad tossed with red wine vinaigrette. Sliced peaches topped with honey and sour cream would make a great finale.

For this fabulous salad we used red onions, beets, zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers, but any mix of summer vegetables would work. The salad gets served with grilled bread and is nice with a white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc.

The genteel ladies’ tea, at which guests wore hats and white gloves and nibbled tiny sandwiches, was very much a part of home entertaining during the thirties. Borrowed from the British, it was a trend that flickered and then died out, but has now come back in homes and hotels across the country. These modern tea sandwiches are more savory than sweet, and would go well with a glass of Sherry if you’re in need of something a little stronger than Earl Grey.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Goat cheese and truffle oil add rich flavors to the humble sweet potato.