Dill

Purchased phyllo pastry is used here instead of a regular pie crust for quick and easy assembly. This tart is best when served at room temperature.

A salad of baby greens and raspberry vinaigrette and some pencil-thin breadsticks go well with the pasta. End the dinner with orange sherbet, Swedish butter cookies and, perhaps, a shot of aquavit.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Accompany these with your favorite purchased or homemade tartar sauce.

This works equally well with raw vegetables or chips — or as a sauce for cold poached salmon or shrimp.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"I made this recipe in a cooking class I taught here in Vancouver, and the crowd was so pleased they gave me a standing ovation," says Sylvia Molnar of Vancouver, British Columbia. "It's a gorgeous dish that's even better served with lemon-scented rice or potatoes." Garnish with dill sprigs, if desired.

For easier crumbling, chill the cheese before adding it to the salad. The French lentils called for here are sold at specialty foods stores; regular brown lentils can be used, and the cooking time is about the same.

A make-ahead smoked salmon butter and some fresh cod dress up clam chowder beautifully for company. Team the stew with a favorite coleslaw and warm buttermilk biscuits for a cozy winter meal.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

It seems that we're always agreeing to bring a big salad to an informal dinner party only to discover, too late, that there's no time to make a last-minute salad. No one would guess that this wonderfully fresh salad started its journey to dinner two days earlier — in fact, it requires that extra time to mellow its flavors. It's a very portable salad that can sit for hours at room temperature with no ill effects.

To start, offer a seafood appetizer, such as chilled cocktail shrimp with herbed mayonnaise. What to drink: Pour Champagne or sparkling wine throughout the meal.

Tangy and refreshing, this dip is called tzatziki in Greek. Here, it's served with crisp baked pita wedges, but it also goes well with crudités. Drain the yogurt a day before you plan to prepare the dip. And mix up a big batch of lemonade to pour throughout the picnic.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 45 min