Ham

For a meatless pizza, skip the prosciutto and add sautéed sliced portobello mushrooms.

This hearty soup makes delicious use of the flavorful 1/4-inch-thick rinds that remain after wedges of Parmesan have been grated away; they infuse the soup with a nice salty bite as it simmers.

Hot pepper jelly is an unexpected taste that picks up the sweetness of the corn and cornmeal. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

"During a recent business trip to Birmingham, Alabama, I had dinner at the Hot and Hot Fish Club," writes Shelia Murray of Paradise, California. "Every bite of chef Chris Hasting's shrimp and grits was packed with flavor. I'd love to prepare this stand-out dish at home."

Vidalias star in a nice version of the relish that is essential to this New Orleans specialty. Try the relish on grilled halibut, too. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Neapolitan in origin, this make-ahead savory pie is delicious either warm or at room temperature.

Round out the menu with sliced radicchio, fennel and roasted bell pepper salad; crisp flatbread; and apricot sorbet with cookies.

There's a southern accent to this entrée, so round out the menu with corn muffins, coleslaw and three-bean salad; then bring on the coconut layer cake.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Rich and satisfying, this main course from L'Osteria del Forno in San Francisco is similar to cannelloni. At the restaurant, they serve the crepes in individual gratin dishes.

Old-fashioned meat loaf gets a new lease on life in this recipe. Use the processor to chop leftover ham (or some purchased ham) for this flavorful loaf. Serve this with mashed potoates, corn bread, buttered peas, and a favorite beer or dry red wine.

The classic combination of tomatoes, basil and cheese is unbeatable, especially with the addition of prosciutto. Pair the pizza with a salad of radicchio and romaine in an oil and vinegar dressing. Follow up with cannoli and espresso.

A good cut of meat for this recipe is the butt portion of a bone-in, water-added ham. For optimum flavor, I like to prebake the ham, then simply slice away what I need from the bone.