Dairy

The ricotta needs to drain overnight for this recipe, so begin one day ahead. Grade B maple syrup has a deeper flavor than Grade A; it's available at Trader Joe's and specialty foods stores, and from vermontcountrystore.com.

No, it's not a mistake. This cake really doesn't contain any eggs. The oil in the batter makes the cake moist; the rest of the ingredients provide enough structure to give the cake a great crumb.

These dessert soufflés are light and satisfying. The vermouth really brings the sauce together.

Many wild-mushroom combinations work; buy three to four varieties. Chanterelle, oyster, maitake (hen-of-the-woods), brown beech, stemmed shiitake, and black trumpet mushrooms would all be delicious.

Classic spoon bread is a savory pudding served as a side dish. In this dessert version, the slightly sweetened batter is baked in individual ramekins, then topped with strawberry preserves.

A fun take on the crowdpleasing cream cheese brownies.

Editor's note: The recipe below is from Donna Hay's book,Instant Entertaining.

Danish blue cheese, which is more economical than Roquefort, adds a rich tang to these cheese puffs.

Packed with veggies and two kinds of cheese, this dish is hearty and surprisingly luxurious.

The sandwiches can be refrigerated one day ahead (chill the chicken and spinach before assembling).

The fried eggs add extra unctuousness to a clever carbonara.

Here, chorizo replaces the usual steak or chicken.

A bacon Swiss burger embellished with ripe tomato and avocado: delectable! In this burger, I've spiced up the meat with thyme and Worcestershire sauce, which hint at the Mediterranean and at the steak house. In this case, a soft white bun is the best choice—any other type of bun and the burger might become too huge to eat. But of course, that's what helps to make it delectable. Serve your favorite condiments alongside.

Sometimes simplicity speaks volumes. Our lemon loaf recipe is very straightforward. We do not add poppy seeds, pecans, or any other extraneous ingredient. We really feel that the most important aspect of a lemon loaf is the zingy lemon flavor, and we accentuate it by using a combination of freshly squeezed lemon juice, freshly grated lemon zest, and a mildly sweet lemon syrup. The sour cream gives this loaf a subtle tang and a dense, moist crumb that cannot be achieved with yogurt. If you want to increase the lemony goodness of these cakes, add the simple glaze after the syrup has set and the cakes are cool. This loaf freezes extremely well, so you can double the recipe and make a few extra loaves.

Hold the marinara! For a change of pace, dress ravioli with a quick and creamy sauce that gets added taste and texture from tiny pieces of string beans and prosciutto.

Lemon-tahini dressing unexpectedly emboldens kale and cheesy potatoes with its creaminess and tart richness. We went back for seconds and thirds.

Egg dishes always make a great centerpiece, especially when they’re this easy. As it bakes, Gruyère melts into the nutmeg-scented egg and milk mixture, which takes on a light, quiche-like creaminess.

Shake up your casserole rotation with a Greek pastitsio. Layers of ziti, meaty tomato sauce fragrant with spices, and silky béchamel come together in this deeply satisfying yet simple meal.