Sweet Potato

This fragrant mélange mixes starchy tastes with sweet. The dish is like a stir-fry, only it's done in the oven—a great, no-fuss way to cook a slew of vegetables.

The salad can remain at room temperature up to two hours before serving.

Michael McLaughlin, cookbook author, says, "Sweet potatoes are so versatile that it's a crime to fix them just one way every Thanksgiving. A long time ago, I decided to be flexible and creative with the sweet potatoes, and it has been a delicious ongoing investigation. This year, now that dried cranberries are a supermarket staple, I've zeroed in on this version. Not only is it a colorful addition to the holiday spread, but it also is cooked on top of the stove, freeing up some precious oven space."

This is a great summer salad, perfect with all kinds of barbecue and grilled foods. It's also a wonderful way to brighten up a winter dinner of broiled chicken or beef.

This recipe was created for my ten-year-old friend and cooking student, Evan Chender, who used it for his Thanksgiving feast one year. Fresh ginger really spices up the sweet, meltingly tender yams.

Herbs and a touch of maple syrup accent this colorful breakfast dish.

Nice with grilled or roasted meat, fish or fowl.

Loosely translated from the Yiddish, tzimmes means "a fuss over something," but in culinary terms, it's commonly a casserole of various fruits, vegetables and/or meats.

A jicama, watercress and red onion salad and warm corn tortillas would be terrific with this meatless entrée. Scoop lemon sherbet into cantaloupe halves for dessert. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Use the large grating disk on the processor to make short work of preparing the vegetables.

Pears and pear nectar add a delightful accent.

A sophisticated, do-ahead hors d'oeuvre.

A soothing soup for any time of year.