Ground Beef

Frances Driesbach, Maui, Hawaii
"This chili was inspired by Southern Calif., where I grew up. Red, green, and yellow peppers represent the Mexican fiesta."

Ground turkey would make a fine substitute for beef in these Southwest-style burgers (grill until cooked through).

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. For side dishes, mix grated carrots into deli macaroni salad, and pass corn on the cob. Strawberry ice cream with chocolate sauce and sliced strawberries is a sweet ending.

Green peppercorns can be found packed in brine in the specialty foods section of most large supermarkets.

At the restaurant, the gnocchi are shaped in a time-honored manner that includes pressing each short dough piece against the tines of a fork. Home cooks may find it simpler to roll the dough along the wires of a whisk, as outlined here. Also, if you can't get ground chuck, buy a boneless chuck roast, and ask the butcher to grind it for you.

This recipe is just right for a family meal or a casual party.

A warming and filling main-course soup.

This satisfying British staple is an excellent use for leftover mashed potatoes. You will need two cups for this recipe; bring them to room temperature before using.

It took me quite a while to remember a meal I used to loathe. You see, I was a kid who ate pickled herring and pig's feet with her dad. But my mom reminded me of the utter disdain with which I would greet the following meal, named for my brother's best friend, Eric Gisolfi. Eric has always been a hearty eater, but a picky one. This was one dish he never complained about. So, whenever he joined us for dinner I felt conflicted — fantastically happy that a new playmate would be joining us and absolutely devastated that I had to endure the ground meat and elbow macaroni so cherished by our guest. Try it out to see the mixed reviews you receive.

Serve with: Mesclun salad with an herb vinaigrette and sliced semolina bread. Dessert: Vanilla ice cream sprinkled with crushed amaretti cookies (Italian macaroons) and drizzled with Kahlúa.