Toast

Katy Hees of Santa Fe, New Mexico, writes: "Eating local, fresh, organic food is important to me. It doesn't get much more local than the eggs I use, which come from our own chickens. I came up with my fried eggs on toast recipe as a great way to dress them up for dinner."

If your Thanksgiving dinner is a formal affair, serve the crostini on small plates with the frisée salad. If your guests like to hang out in the kitchen until dinner is served, offer the crostini as passed hors d'oeuvres topped with a sprig of dressed frisée.

It's low in fat and high in lycopene (a potential cancer fighter). Dig in!

Chilled shrimp in piquant remoulade sauce is a Creole classic. Here, it tops pumpernickel toasts spread with a chili-molasses butter. What to drink: Berry Rum Punch.

This is a simple variation on the classic French brandade, traditionally made with salt cod. Prepare the crostini while your potatoes are simmering.

Use a leftover baguette to make these crostini; they will keep well in an airtight container for a week.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again—the grill was the original toaster. And there's nothing like a quick sizzle on the grill to transform ordinary pound cake into a singular, even extraordinary dessert. Especially when paired with a pineapple "salsa" and tequila-scented whipped cream.

Burrata, an ultra-creamy fresh mozzarella, is available at specialty cheese shops.

The crostini can be assembled two hours ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate until ready to broil and serve.