Dairy

Though you may not be familiar with the name, chilaquiles are the forebears of modern nachos. But the abundance of fresh, flavorful toppings—cool cilantro, salty queso fresco, crisp red onion—makes even the most fluorescent "nacho cheese" seem colorless.

Panfried eggplant, walnuts, and cheese melt into each other and make a rich filling between crisp layers of phyllo in this hearty, meat-free pie.

In the remote mountains of Georgia, the star ingredient of this bread called khachapuri—akin to pizza—is the firm but creamy salted cow's-milk cheese called sulguni. A blend of Havarti and mozzarella will give you a similar velvety texture.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are adapted from Elizabeth Karmel's Web site, girlsatthegrill.com . There are those days that nothing will do except a bacon cheeseburger. Instead of visiting your favorite burger joint, make them at home. You may never order a burger out again!

Can't take the heat? Then eat some raita. In India, the condiment is used to cool the palate.

This frozen treat is low in calories and fat. You can top it with mango and crystallized ginger, if desired. If freezing overnight, thaw briefly in the microwave, stopping to stir, or let the frozen yogurt stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

An exotic new spin on a breakfast classic. The pancakes puff up during cooking and deflate when taken off the griddle.

This simple dish from Good Things Café is named after the British novelist.

Frozen puff pastry makes a quick and easy crust for this modern take on pizza.

Shaving the side edge of the coconut pieces with a vegetable peeler is the best way to get strips of uniform width for garnishing the cake.

Use leftovers for sandwiches the next day: Place shredded chicken, garbanzos, and tomatoes in a pita bread and top with the yogurt sauce.

Make a simple herb oil to brush over the flatbreads as soon as they come out of the skillet. Just mix 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander. Or serve with raita .

Mangoes take the place of tomatoes, so you don't have to wait until summer to enjoy this much-loved Italian salad.

These are made with wedges of a moist, rich cake and served with a sauce that blends cooked and fresh strawberries.

This light spring recipe, from chef Daniel Patterson of San Francisco's Coi, is a great way to use the buttermilk left over after making Patterson's homemade butter . Strips of yuba are simmered in the buttermilk and then topped with a bright-green sauce of fresh peas, basil, and fava leaves. Yuba, also called tofu skin, is made by heating soy milk until a skin forms on the surface. Here, strips of tender, slightly chewy yuba stand in for pasta. (See the Test-Kitchen Tips, below, for more information on ingredients and substitutions.)