Onion

This Parisian version of a Bialystoker tsibele (onion) pletzel, also called onion zemmel, onion pampalik, or onion board, is very similar to an Italian focaccia. Try this flat bread sprinkled with rosemary, and you will see how very close it is.

Gaze at rings on your left hand. Remember how, when you were single in New York and men made rude remarks to you on the street, you'd dream about the day your boyfriend would put an engagement ring on your finger. Those trips with your friend, Megan, to Tiffany's—how the diamonds sparkled under glass. And so, my friend, it comes to this: Orientalish pasta salad for the kabillionth time.

In this menu, guests make their own sandwiches, piling on rosy slices of spring lamb, chopped grilled green onions and a variety of condiments. Uncork a red Rhône wine (we recommend Gigondas) or a Pinot Noir to pour with the sandwiches; have a selection of sodas and bottled water on hand, too.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For a quick sauce to go with the fish, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and chopped fresh dill.

At Hanukkah I always made potato pancakes at the last minute so we tried my recipe but added zucchini to change the color. I wrang out the hand-grated potatoes in a tea towel and got rid of as much of the liquid as possible but retained the starch. I always add scallions, onions, and eggs but no filler. Rochelle Rose, mother of the proprietors of Mrs. Simpson's Restaurant This recipe was created at the first of Mrs. Rose's sons' restaurants, 209 1/2, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. This recipe appeared in the "You Asked for It" column in Gourmet magazine in 1977.

"The day before Thanksgiving, my grandmother would make trays of corn bread for this stuffing," says food writer Janet Fletcher. "We grandkids would crack the pecans for the stuffing; the nuts came from the trees in her back yard."

Here's a classic Irish combination.

Janet Fletcher, food writer, says, "Growing up in Texas, where onions were big and tastes were conservative, I guarantee you that cipolline onions were never on the dinner menu. But every generation needs to add its own touch to the traditional Thanksgiving feast, and this Cal-Italian touch is my contribution."

To accompany the pork, toss egg noodles with butter and chives, and sprinkle lemon juice over sautéed vegetables. Finish with vanilla ice cream and butterscotch sauce.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This recipe calls for chipotle chiles, which are actually dried, smoked jalapeños. They can be bought packed in adobo, a sauce made from ground chiles, herbs, tomatoes, and vinegar. Serve the dip with bell pepper strips, chips, or crackers.

The mix of flavors in this side dish is great with broiled lamb chops or roast chicken.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This dish is a particularly good accompaniment to beef or lamb. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 45 min

Chef Tory McPhail writes: "I was 19 years old and just out of culinary school when I first started at Commander's Palace. Despite my training, nothing prepared me for the pressures of working in a fast-paced kitchen, or in a restaurant of such high quality. I think my success came down to sheer effort and a lifelong passion for cooking. Even as a kid I loved playing with cookie and pie dough. "After a seven-year absence, which I spent working abroad and opening a new Commander's Palace restaurant in Las Vegas, I came back to New Orleans last year. Since returning I've enjoyed cooking for my friends. On the weekends we'll go fishing, and then I'll grill our catch and serve it along with a fresh salad. That meal combines the two best things about living in the South — lots of fishing and great fresh produce."

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