Cheese

Juana Vázquez-Gómez of Redondo Beach, California, writes: "Growing up in Cuernavaca, just outside Mexico City, I remember my grandmother cooking elaborate Mexican meals every day. My mother continued that tradition, but not in such an all-consuming manner. For her it was a great joy to plan a menu and then invite people to help with the preparation. "The women in my life taught me the beauty of a good meal. I still use many of their recipes today, but unlike my grandmother I don't spend an entire day in the kitchen. Fortunately, my husband and kids like to cook, so I've found a balance between my grandmother's time-intensive recipes and my mother's practicality. "

Personalize these pizzas after cooking them by adding your favorite toppings, such as prosciutto, basil, arugula, or roasted vegetables. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

We adapted this from the recipe for Supper Onion Pie, in the "Savoury Pies" section of Nigella Lawson's _How to Be a Domestic Goddess._We played with the crust to make it lighter and substituted a yellow onion for the red ones (they turned an unappetizing mauve). We love the way Lawson's books are written—and agree she's got some great ideas—but we think you should know you may need to tinker with the recipes before they yield dishes that appeal to an American palate.

These hearty mushrooms, from Il Radicchio in Washington, D.C., are a stellar start to the meal.

The contrasting colors of these two beets are especially attractive in this dish but you may substitute any others.

Serve this with a basket of crusty bread.

Called panadas, these little pastries make wonderful hors d'oeuvres.

An easy version of the famous Cobb salad.

Creamy fresh cheese meets spinach in this Indian classic.

Purchased wonton wrappers stand in for fresh pasta in this easy recipe.

Rosemary Leicht of Bethel, Ohio, writes: "I've been a finalist in the Pillsbury Bake-Off three times, so I'm something of an expert at cooking with prepared doughs and bread mixes. Even though these items are simple to use, many people don't venture beyond the package directions. For each contest, I experimented with dozens of recipes, and some of my favorites have been breakfast dishes and desserts. Nowadays I don't enter as many competitions as I used to, but my family still looks forward to my latest creations." A quick breakfast using prepared dough.

Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

This dessert has a baked chocolate-cookie crust and a chilled light-and-fluffy filling of pureed fresh raspberries folded into whipped mascarpone cheese.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 25 min