Pork

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Old-fashioned meat loaf gets a new lease on life in this recipe. Use the processor to chop leftover ham (or some purchased ham) for this flavorful loaf. Serve this with mashed potoates, corn bread, buttered peas, and a favorite beer or dry red wine.

This uses the same ingredients found in boudin blanc, the classic French white sausage. Start two days before serving.

For trained foragers, the autumn forests around Lancaster, Pennsylvania, yield an abundant wild mushroom crop. Celebrate the harvest with this succulent pork roast, accented with mustard, another typical ingredient of the region. Begin the meal with a relish platter, and offer an American Pinot Noir or beer.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This delicious Portuguese regional specialty, called migas, is a dish of sautéed meats served over fried bread. Here is the version from Fialho restaurant in Evora, Portugal. They marinate the pork in a red-pepper paste popular in the Alentejo, but paprika makes a nice substitute. The seasoned pork needs to be chilled overnight, so begin this recipe a day before serving it.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Rajas is the word for a traditional Mexican mixture of sautéed peppers and onions. Green onions work well in this version.

As any southerner will tell you, eating black-eyed peas at New Year's will ensure good luck. For a simpler (and meatless) version of this hors d'oeuvre, omit the pork and serve these tender little cakes topped with just the red pepper mayo.

Malloreddus, the saffron-flavored pasta shaped like gnocchi, is a Sardinian specialty. For convenience, we used dried pasta of a similar shape and added saffron to the pasta cooking water.

Brining these pork chops keeps them plump and juicy, but if lemon verbena for the brine isn't readily available, you can leave it out. Its subtle flavor probably won't be missed, especially if you serve the chops with the distinctly lemony hoppin' John risotto.

"I had the pleasure of dining at Bacco restaurant during one of my many visits to New Orleans," writes Scott J. Grande of Ormond Beach, Florida. "It's run by Ralph Brennan, who is a gracious and accommodating host. The pork tenderloin on escarole that I had for dinner was delicious; I hope you'll be able to get the recipe for my collection." Bacco is one of eight New Orleans restaurants run by members of the Brennan family. At Bacco, this pork tenderloin is served with garlicky mashed potatoes.

Miniature Tourtières Every French-Canadian home serves a version of tourtière during the holidays. Various thickeners (such as flour, crushed crackers, or even oats) can be used to bind the filling. Our version is made with flour, and the filling is enclosed in a tender biscuit crust. We decorated our pies with a maple-leaf-shaped cutout.*

Serve these patties with a crisp salad of assorted baby greens.

Jamaica's native herbs and spices glorify the lush island's most popular meat. I serve this with Golden Pineapple Chutney . These chops need at least 4 hours' marinating time, and if you can let them sit overnight, they'll be even better.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Round out this menu with boiled green beans and corn muffins. Finish with chocolate pudding topped with whipped cream.