Parade

Flat-leaf parsley is also known as Italian parsley. It's not only a different shape than curly-leaf parsley but also has a stronger flavor.

Larry Forgione serves this luscious dessert at An American Place, his renowned New York City restaurant. It's a great treat when local berries are in season.

Cut and toss the avocado garnish in lemon juice just before serving to prevent discoloration. Then sprinkle it over the top without tossing, or the salad will be mushy.

Gently drain the liquid from the top of the yogurt before combining with other ingredients so that the flavors are not diluted.

This dish uses three vegetable-bin staples: onions, celery, and carrots. If you don't have any canned broth on hand, dissolve a bouillon cube in water.

You can buy a cooked chicken and frozen puff pastry for this dish. Both make this pot pie a very easy family meal.

Don't marinate the fish more than 15 minutes, or it will be cooked by the citric acid in the lemon juice (like the Latin dish seviche). And don't toss the vegetables until serving time, or the vinegar will discolor the beans.

Mario Batali, star of the Food Network's Molto Mario, is one of the top chefs in New York City, where he owns three restaurants with Joe Bastianich — Babbo, Lupa and Esca. This dish, from Batali's book Simple Italian Food, is served at Lupa.

I leave the roots on the leeks until after cooking, so they don't fall apart. Just wash and trim beforehand.

Fay Felicitas, San Jose, Calif.
If you don't have margarine, 2 to 3 additional tablespoons of olive oil will do, as the sausages release some fat. Two ounces of cheese is a small amount, but that's all you'll need to tie the dish together.

Maude Emhoff, Stafford Springs, Conn.
Watch the heat carefully, lowering it as necessary. Do not let the casserole boil, or the pork ribs will toughen.

After opening anchovies, always keep them refrigerated, or they become mushy. Use as necessary. Freshly grated cheese may be frozen until needed.

Chris Gavenda, Wildwood, Mo.
For those of you who may not know, the tortilla chips form a crispy crust on the bottom of the casserole.

This tiny meatloaf should not be overbaked! Once removed from the oven, it will keep cooking for a few minutes. The chili sauce is the American kind, not the Asian.

If you cut up the potatoes ahead of time, keep them in cold water so that they don't discolor.

Frances Driesbach, Maui, Hawaii
"This chili was inspired by Southern Calif., where I grew up. Red, green, and yellow peppers represent the Mexican fiesta."

Seedless watermelons are on the market these days, but I prefer the old-fashioned ones with big black seeds — easy to see and remove. Then proceed with the recipe.

This ice cream explodes with twice the vanilla flavor of store-bought varieties.

Tom Valenti was the first chef in New York City to cook this great recipe. It can be found in his book Welcome to My Kitchen, just published by HarperCollins.