Prosciutto

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A mixture of prosciutto, rosemary and plenty of garlic rubbed under the skin of the turkey gives it a distinctively delicious taste. True garlic lovers can squeeze some of the pan-roasted garlic into the gravy for even more flavor. Begin the meal with an appetizer of chilled shrimp with lemon and dill, and offer a radicchio salad as a first course. Pour a Chianti Classico Riserva.

The ultimate dinner-party dish for a wintry evening, this is robustly flavorful and sophisticated. It's also simple to prepare. Market Tip: Don't buy pork tenderloins that have been pumped with salts and preservatives. Avoid anything that contains 10 percent water solution or phosphates.

Most of the work on this dish is done the day before, leaving plenty of time in the morning for opening presents or simply sleeping in.

George Kelso of Edinburgh, Scotland, writes: "Although I grew up in Scotland and spent my early years as a chef here, I didn't start specializing in Scottish food until much later in my career. After working in London and at various restaurants in England, I returned to Scotland in 1988 to become chef at Ardsheal House in Argyll, where I started cooking exclusively with Scottish ingredients. We grew our own fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and even raised our own hens and ducks. That experience inspired the kind of cooking I do today at Haldanes, where I'm chef and owner. I keep the food preparation simple and use the freshest produce. That's why I use local suppliers as much as possible." Slices of prosciutto are fried until crisp for a delicious garnish.

Ouzo lends a subtle flavor to the melon. Pour more over before serving, if desired.

"The warm asparagus salad I had at Figs restaurant in Boston was as original as it was delicious," says Lena Madore of Los Altos, California. "They served it with a chickpea pancake. I'd love to try both recipes." This salad is great with or without the wedge of farinata, a flat savory cake of Italian origin made from chickpea flour.

A bagged lettuce mix with "Mediterranean" greens would go nicely here when tossed with red wine vinaigrette and served with ciabatta bread. End with pears and a plate of bittersweet chocolate-nut toffee.

(Pinzimonio) There is no definitive recipe for this antipasto, intermezzo, side dish or after-dinner salad. Pinzimonio means "combination," and the dish consists of an assortment of the freshest vegetables available and some good-quality olive oil. Pick the vegetables from your garden, or go to a farmers' market. There need not be great variety: An arrangement of crisp carrots, radishes and spring onions would be wonderful, as would tender young artichokes and fragrant bulbs of fennel. Most of the vegetables are served raw, but some things, like string beans, are better blanched, and certain root vegetables, such as beets and potatoes, should be cooked thoroughly. The prosciutto and bread in this recipe are not traditional, but they add lots of flavor and substance. Quantities are left up to you; they will depend on the number of different vegetables served and the number of guests at the table.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Ciabatta is a wonderfully chewy classic Italian bread that is being rediscovered by specialty bakers around the country. Look for a rather wide, flat, flour-dusted bread, whether shaped into rolls or loaves. The rolls we used were 4- to 5-inch rectangles, but one or two ciabatta loaves would work equally well. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Be sure to have the butcher bone the veal chops. Serve this elegant main course with vegetables.

"Every time I visit my sister in Los Angeles, we make a point of having dinner at Mimosa, a popular French bistro," writes Frances Candler Brown of Birmingham, Alabama. "I like to think I'm an adventurous diner, but my order there has become only too predictable: a glass of wine, a salad and the restaurant's delectable version of macaroni and cheese." This French take on macaroni and cheese has a nice assertive flavor.