Mushroom

Scrambled eggs are a nice idea to round out the main course for this side dish.

Hazelnuts and wild mushrooms - popular ingredients from Oregon and Washington - add terrific flavor and texture to this sophisticated stuffing.

"The Forsgate Country Club, in nearby Jamesburg, offers a fabulous pasta dish with a creamy sauce that includes smoked chicken and wild mushrooms," writes Deborah Lee Fallon of East Brunswick, New Jersey. The chef makes this with smoked chicken; we use smoked turkey, which is easier to find.

Stuart Faber of Los Angeles, California, writes: "When I'm not in my law office, I fly my own plane and write for In Flight USA, a magazine for private pilots. One of my favorite things to do when landing someplace new is to find a restaurant and ask if I can work for free. I've found some of my best recipes this way. Usually the chefs will let me hang out for a few days and help, but some do look at me a little strangely." A dressed-up version of a dinnertime classic.

For a more elegant presentation, we cut out rounds from the gratin with a 4-inch cookie cutter. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 hr

Remember the green bean casserole made with nothing but convenience ingredients: frozen or canned green beans, canned cream of mushroom soup and, for the topping, canned fried onions? Here it is again, only fresher and better.

"My family loves Italian food," writes Seamus Ray of Annapolis, Maryland. "One of my best creations is this veal dish with eggplant; I serve it for special occasions."

Meat loaf has been a favorite throughout the century, especially during the 1940s when meat was rationed and ground beef was a bargain cut. We’ve put a contemporary stamp on this suppertime classic by adding lots of caramelized onions.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr (includes making stock) There's no need for your vegetarian guests to miss out on rich, delicious gravy to pour over the dressing.

This Asian-style stew features egg linguine, an easy substitute for Chinese egg noodles. Look for Chinese five-spice powder and hoisin sauce in the spice aisle or the Asian foods section of the supermarket.

In this recipe from Rick Tramonto, chef at Tru in Chicago, chewy pearl barley meets silky European butter in an outstanding alternative to arborio rice risotto. For best results, use Parmigiano-Reggiano.

The porcini mushroom soaking liquid moistens this stuffing from Rochelle Palermo Torres.