Nut

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 20 min The tangy citrus and nutty flavors of the dressing make this asparagus a nice complement to the spiced chicken breast or to simply prepared fish.

Delicious on crackers or as a filling for small tea sandwiches.

This comforting side dish is a love letter to the sweet tooth in all of us: Unpeeled sweet potatoes and bananas are roasted together, then peeled, pureed, and topped with a crunchy pecan streusel.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Katie occasionally substitutes a couple of Fuyu persimmons for the mango. The pecans are nice on their own as a snack.

A classic Austrian tart gets an American update with this cranberry and apricot filling.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Sue Shadley of Indianapolis, Indiana, says that the biscotti from The Bakehouse in Bloomington are addictive. These can be baked three weeks ahead and frozen, making them an ideal Christmas gift.

The apple-essence syrup is brushed over the cake to infuse it with flavor and make it extra-moist. If you prefer, substitute apple cider for the brandy.

"Moist and pretty in color when blackberry, currant, or some such jam was used, [jam cake] was a favorite with pioneer women, for it kept well," James Beard wrote in his American Cookery (Little Brown, 1972). The only thing more that might be said about jam cake is that it is delicious.