Crisp

"My husband, Don, and I made dinners together when we were first getting to know each other," writes Lisa Pendelton of Pasadena, California. "I was surprised to discover that everything from food shopping to sharing in the kitchen came so naturally to him. We had a lot of great meals, and once he spent all day making me a bouillabaisse for my birthday. That's when I knew I could definitely marry him."

The colonists planted around 150 varieties of apples in New England, many of which can still be found today. Apples show up most often in a double-crust pie, but the crisp is also a superb showcase. Nothing more than fruit baked with crumbly nut, flour, sugar and butter topping, it's as simple to make as it is delicious.

Oats, brown sugar and walnuts team up with cinnamon and cloves in the terrific streusel topping for this homespun treat.

This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.

A fall favorite that's topped with vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Fresh cranberries are usually sold only from November through January. So freeze a few extra bags to make this anytime.

Among the pear varieties, we prefer the silky, juicy flesh and slightly winy flavor of Comice pears for eating, and they are exceptionally good in this crisp. (For poaching and in tarts, good Bosc pears have the right texture and body.)

The frozen berries aren't thawed before you use them, so this dessert is super fast.

If you don't have a cherry pitter, use the side of a knife to crush each cherry against the work surface. Once the flesh has been separated, remove the pit. Be sure to wear an apron; cherries tend to squirt when crushed.

Donna Knowlton of Atlanta, Georgia, writes: "As the oldest of five children growing up in rural West Virginia, I was always helping in the kitchen. Like many girls in the South, my interest in cooking came from being a member of the 4-H club." Adding fresh lemon juice and grated lemon peel to the filling enhances the flavor of the apples.

Serve this quick treat with heavy cream or vanilla ice cream.

If you don't have individual soufflé dishes, this can be prepared in a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish, in which case the crisp will need to bake for about 55 minutes.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Brown sugar, almonds and oats combine for a crunchy topping in this lovely dessert. A touch of kirsch, a clear cherry brandy, enhances the fruit.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Light, delicate, and crisp, rice-stick noodles come packaged in different sizes. However, 1 package, no matter how small, will be plenty for this recipe. If you'd like to make larger crisps for dramatic presentation, simply pull each noodle mound into a wider tangle, then fry crisps 1 at a time. This recipe is an accompaniment for pineapple ice cream. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr