Ham

"Simple, simple, simple! Just throw it in the oven and jump in the shower." That's how food stylist Toni Brogan described this savory pie, a favorite in her native New Zealand. And it really is that easy—just line a pan with puff pastry, fill it up with onions, thinly sliced potatoes, and, in place of the usual bacon, prosciutto (left over from Ravioli with Green Beans and Prosciutto ), then crack some eggs on top and cover with more pastry. By the time everyone is out of the shower, the pie is ready to come out of the oven, all golden and flaky on the outside, layered with deliciousness on the inside. Though it's traditional to serve the pie with ketchup, we love it with some spicy chutney on the side.

It does not get cozier than this hearty dish. Yes, you’ll make your own gnocchi. And yes, it’s totally worth the effort.

Use leftover ham or good-quality ham from the deli counter in this dish.

Kids like the sweet-salty combination of the jam, Parmesan, and prosciutto.

Haute ham and eggs! These appetizers are protein-rich, and cutting out the crust makes them incredibly low-cal.

Spicy, sharp turnip greens, braised gently with a smoked ham hock, are a time-honored accompaniment on southern tables at any time of the year. This version, with the ivory turnips, golden apple, and pink ham nestled among the dark greens, is especially pretty.

Simultaneously salty, sharp, spicy, and sweet (in other words, completely irresistible), these nuggets are chef Edward Lee's way of saying, "You can have a casual meal without compromising true culinary endeavor." The tradition of serving mustard with a soft pretzel is strictly an American one; Lee makes his own honey mustard, jazzing it up with chiles. For sources for country ham and pretzel salt.

Singapore-style noodles are a favorite in Chinese-American restaurants and are traditionally made using leftover Cantonese roast pork. The dish is lightly seasoned with Indian curry powder, giving the thin rice noodles a beautiful yellow hue. The curry flavor explains the dish's name: Singapore cooking exhibits a significant Indian influence. Stir-fried with small shrimp and peas, this colorful dish can be made ahead of time and very successfully reheated. Cantonese roast pork can be found in Chinese markets. You'll recognize the long and thick reddish-golden meat strips hanging in the window to entice passersby.

Any excuse to cook a pork chop is a good excuse, and here is one of Italian origin: You get to stuff it with prosciutto, not to mention buttery Fontina and aromatic sage.

Fresh, peppery greens add important vitamins and phytochemicals to a crisp homemade pizza. Pizza dough can be found at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores (such as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods markets) and Italian delis.

Here's a terrific new version of the classic melon-and prosciutto-pairing. For added color, use a mix of different melons.

You'll want to scarf down these little cornucopias down as fast as you can make them.

The egg-dipped ham sandwiches are even better with Spanish ingredients: salty Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, and sweet membrillo (quince paste), which is available at some supermarkets, at specialty foods stores, and from igourmet.com.

This recipe calls for aged Sherry (instead of vinegar), which gives the dressing an added kick.

Most chefs don't focus on salads. Maybe that's how "chef’s salad" came to mean a pile of iceberg lettuce topped with bits of cheese, strips of cold cuts, and wedges of hard-boiled eggs. But with all the fantastic American cheeses and locally produced charcuterie available today, it's time to put the "chef" back in the chef's salad. It doesn't take long to arrange the meats and cheeses atop a bed of interesting greens, then whip up our quince dressing, drizzle—and dine.