Ham

Not your typical corn bread dressing, this one from Michael McLaughlin features smoky ham and sautéed fennel.

"Recently I had dinner at Highlands Bar & Grill in Birmingham, Alabama. To say I was dazzled by the baked grits is not overstating the case," writes Mary Lane Stiglets of Jackson, Mississippi. "This divine and truly southern recipe should be printed in your magazine for all to enjoy."

Serve the ham with baked sweet potatoes and buttered baby peas. Finish with wedges of sponge cake topped with fudge sauce.

Garbure Don't be misled by the plain-looking appearance of this classic Basque soup; it is thoroughly satisfying and delicious. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 10 1/2 hr (includes soaking beans)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Sweet and salty, the ham is great served with roasted potatoes and applesauce.

For this recipe the lamb racks are frenched all the way down to the eye of the meat. For decorative purposes, we asked our butcher to leave a 1-inch-wide strip of fat along the top of the eye of the rack.

Though these bruschetta are a terrific first course for almost any meal. They'd actually make a great lunch as well—just think of them as open-faced sandwiches.

(Italian-Style Meat and Cheese Sandwiches) Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Leftover pesto is great with fish.

Italian flavors accent this innovative stuffing. We suggest making it with the Roast Turkey with Red Currant Jelly and Citrus Glaze; reserve the fennel stalks and fronds for use in the stock that's needed for the gravy.

The ultimate dinner-party dish for a wintry evening, this is robustly flavorful and sophisticated. It's also simple to prepare. Market Tip: Don't buy pork tenderloins that have been pumped with salts and preservatives. Avoid anything that contains 10 percent water solution or phosphates.

In this dish from La Belle Vie in Stillwater, Minnesota, the asparagus could be broiled if that's more convenient.