Dairy

Here, the beloved grits of the South are baked into a tender, cheesy roll that embraces all the elements of a country-style breakfast. Just slice and serve.

There may be no better way for a yeast-phobic (or time-pressed) cook to put a fetching basket of fresh bread on the table. The secret is a biscuit dough so simple to make and handle that you'll find yourself baking these twists for weekday family meals as well as special dinners.

We've run recipes for this classic salad in various incarnations every few years as far back as the 1940s — with and without raw egg, with and without anchovies, changing up the cheese and even mixing in pasta or shellfish. This version is simply the best.

We weren't sure what would result from pouring an egg-and-yogurt mixture over a gratin of potatoes. The answer? A thin layer of tangy custard that just melts into the gratin. Like a much more sumptuous version of the sour-cream-topped baked potato, this dish is a welcome change of pace.

Persian in origin, this soufflé is wonderfully airy, and the eggplant is infused with garlic and lemon. Think of it as a warm, puffy baba ghanouj.

Sausage, egg, scallion, and cheese are layered over garlicky "Texas toast" in the heartiest take on savory bread pudding we've ever come across — just the sight of it could stir a cowboy-size appetite. This stick-to-your-ribs breakfast for a crowd can be completely assembled the night before.

We think of this gratin as a vegetable-driven version of everyone's favorite, mac and cheese. The nutty, sweet undertones of cauliflower are particularly suited to meld with the tangy, salty Cheddar and the spicy horseradish.

Why a trio of cheeses? Fontina for its melting quality and nutty flavor, Gorgonzola for its biting blue punch, and Parmigiano-Reggiano for its uncanny ability to amplify other cheeses.

Hard-boiled eggs, sour cream, and onion are traditional accompaniments for caviar. In this longtime staple of community cookbooks, they are turned into a shallow cake and spread with caviar. We used supermarket lumpfish caviar, but if you're feeling flush, use the good stuff, or even Japanese tobiko (flying-fish roe).

With these distinctly Middle Eastern kebabs, the minty coolness of the yogurt sauce offsets the allspice, pepper, and cinnamon in some of the most succulent and juicy meatballs you have ever tasted.

Three gifts in one: a mini cheesecake, the pan it comes in, and a jar of homemade caramel sauce on the side. Keep in mind that the cakes need to chill overnight.

Lewis Rossman of Half Moon Bay, California, writes: "I'm a chef, and Mediterranean is probably the best way to describe the kind of cooking I do at my restaurant, Cetrella. There's an emphasis on seafood, plus several dishes inspired by places I've visited like Provence and Catalonia. This is one of my favorite recipes from the menu. It also happens to be the thing I make at home all the time."

Lime juice and curry powder enliven this simple yogurt dipping sauce. It's so quick and easy that you can make it while the pancakes are cooking. For best results, use full-fat yogurt. In a pinch, low-fat will do, but do not use nonfat.

The intricate swirls are attained with a specific kitchen skill: slice and bake. You'll get a little sweet pastry and a little fig filling in every bite.

The recipe for these tender, rich cookies came from a cook who worked for my great-grandmother. They were always a family favorite. Decorate them with sanding sugar or nonpareils.

A variation on twice-baked potatoes, these are an eye-catching takeoff on a sweet potato casserole. The sweet potato flesh is pureed with butter and milk, returned to the hollowed-out shells, and topped with mini marshmallows before a final baking. You can puree the potatoes in a blender or a food processor; use the blender for an especially silky texture.

Make this luscious dessert a day ahead.

A creamy white cheddar cheese sauce makes this gratin luxurious enough to serve as a vegetarian main course.