Parmesan

Two kinds of cornmeal are essential here: The fine cornmeal keeps the coating together, and the polenta makes it crisp.

This innovative take on the classic features an intensely flavored olive and raisin tapenade that is also great teamed with breadsticks or spread onto bruschetta. Crispy egg-bread croutons are also a nice addition

Toss one cup of the pesto with one pound of cooked pasta, or try it as a sauce over baked chicken or fish.

Using purchased ready-to-bake bread dough makes this super-easy to prepare.

For some time I had been thinking: How can I pare down a classic meat sauce for those occasions when I have neither the time to make nor the voracity to consume a full-scale ragù? The sauce below is the answer I came up with. I replaced beef with veal; eliminated the milk, the wine, the carrot, and the celery; and reduced the cooking time from several hours to half of one. It is as easy to take as it is to do. Is it a favorite dish? Sure — it is my favorite simple meat sauce. Suggested pasta: The ideal carrier for this simple meat sauce is a homemade noodle, in particular one scented with rosemary and sage, cut into fettuccine or tonnarelli.  Boxed dry pasta in a short tubular shape such as penne or maccheroncini  can be a satisfactory alternative.

The method of preparing this salad — paper-thin shavings of vegetables, usually raw, tossed together and lightly dressed just before serving — has become a regular theme on the restaurant's menus. The variations are extensive (peppers, celery, and radishes are often added) and always fresh and satisfying. Note: Slices of very fresh, raw cepes (porcini, or Boletus edulis) are superb in this salad. Another autumnal variation on this salad theme is to dress the shavings of fennel with lemon and olive oil and top with shavings of fuyu persimmon accented with a few drops of balsamic vinegar.

This strata is ideal for Christmas morning — it is assembled a day ahead and baked just before serving. Mimosas are a nice addition to the menu.

Except for the Parmesan cheese, which is pretty much a requirement, this ultra-cheesy cousin of fettuccine Alfredo can be made with any number of four-cheese combinations.

"My profession as a real estate agent requires a lot of my time," writes Edi Meadows Morrissette of Westin, Florida, "so it helps that I am lightning-fast in the kitchen. I cook every day, and on the weekends I sometimes make three meals a day. I accomplish that by following my main cooking principles: (1) do a lot of prep work, and (2) keep the kitchen well stocked. For example, at holiday time I might chop onions in advance or bake bread the day before company arrives. And since I converted the bedroom next to my kitchen into a pantry for extra storage, I know I'll always have the right ingredients at my fingertips." Nice with drinks, soup, or salad. The cheese spread can be made a day ahead.

An easy no-bake lasagna.

It's worth seeking out Carnaroli rice (from the Piedmont region of Italy) for this recipe: Carnaroli has a higher starch content than Arborio, so it makes a much creamier risotto. Chef Kiffin serves this with braised oxtails and a watercress salad.