Ham

Try preparing this salad for casual luncheons.

Migas is the name of a popular Spanish starter of breadcrumbs fried with ham; it's typically served with fried eggs. Here, migas becomes a crouton topping for the salad.

Traditionally, this flavorful sauté would be composed entirely of fresh cèpes (we know them better by their Italian name, porcini) gathered from the forests around Bordeaux. In this recipe, dried porcini mushrooms are supplemented with fresh large button mushrooms.

Fontina cheese is available at cheese shops and some supermarkets.

Braised carrots, a cucumber salad, and some steamed new potatoes sprinkled with chopped fresh dill are good choices to accompany this Swedish-inspired dish. Holiday cookies and mugs of hot apple cider make a happy ending.

This is a surefire Southern way to use leftover ham and either leftover or freshly baked biscuits. Sometimes the biscuits are large and the ham pieces merely roughly cut chunks. In this recipe the biscuits are made the size of silver dollars, the ham is thinly sliced and neatly trimmed, and the biscuits are served with tiny dollops of spicy mustard and freshly grated horseradish. Voilà! The "grab 'em and go" breakfast treat that has been imitated by many popular food chains is transmuted into an elegant hors d'oeuvre. Large or small, they're mighty good eating. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Silver dollar - size biscuits are the quintessential African-American breakfast bread. They can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Start with hearts of romaine topped with balsamic dressing and diced feta cheese, and pass whole grain bread. Have chocolate cupcakes afterward.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A sophisticated and easy-to-make salad.

The secret of making fried rice lies in the use of cold, cooked rice. Freshly cooked rice will only produce a sticky mess.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Purchased Italian treats like roasted red peppers, assorted olives, caponata, salami, marinated mushrooms and crusty breadsticks make a great antipasto platter. Biscotti and a bowl of fresh grapes are just right for dessert.