Thyme

This herbed cheese dip has almost nothing else in it to mask the thyme flavor. Serve with crackers, lightly toasted pita bread, and raw vegetable sticks.

Use a mixture of green and black olives such as picholine, Niçois, and Kalamata. Soaking the olives in water for ten minutes removes excess salt.

Don't waste your time looking for green peas in this recipe. In Jamaica, you'll often hear kidney beans called peas. Locals consume "rice and peas" so frequently that some people say it should be on the nation's coat of arms. In this version — which Lezlene Brown, a cook at a villa in Ocho Rios, serves to guests and family — the Scotch bonnet chile is there to contribute only the merest hint of heat and to amplify the flavors of the other ingredients.

Most supermarkets have at least one type of spiced sausage. If you don't have the time to make cornbread, it usually is sold at BBQ restaurants and diners. This recipe is an accompaniment for Maple Ginger Roasted Turkey.

The mixture known as duxelles (diced mushrooms cooked with shallots or onions) probably dates back to the seventeenth century. It is said that the famous chef La Varenne, who worked for the Marquis d'Uxelles, created this recipe to preserve mushrooms. Serve this tart with baby greens for a light lunch, or enjoy it as a starter with a white Burgundy.

Note that the heat level of Cajun seasoning blends can vary widely. Serve with: Baby spinach salad, corn bread, and pickled okra.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional sitting time. Butterflied leg of lamb can sometimes get a little unwieldy. To secure loose flaps of meat, run 2 long metal skewers lengthwise and 2 skewers crosswise through the lamb, bunching the meat together. Securing the lamb this way will also help it cook more evenly.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"The recipes here reflect my British roots, but not necessarily my family traditions," writes Mairi Morrison of London, England. "Although my mother is from Scotland and my father is from Northern Ireland, I grew up in Los Angeles, where our weeknight meals were typically American: spaghetti, tacos, and burgers. It wasn't until I moved to Europe that I became really interested in food. Here in London my social life is centered around the table. I really like this dish because it is typically British, and perfect for a rainy winter evening in London." A nice side with lamb, chicken or fish dishes.

Parsley and thyme replace the usual basil in this sauce. Try it on cooked vegetables.

If you don't have fresh salmon, canned salmon is a perfectly fine stand-in.

An easy herbed cream sauce accents sautéed chicken breasts.

A simply spectacular main-course. Ask the butcher to grind any pork trimmings to use in the stuffing. Either hard cider or Pinot Noir would be delicious alongside.

Wild rice and winter squash are perfect with this easy and elegant entrée.

Offer this as a side dish with grilled lamb or as a light supper for two with a salad.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. If fingerling potatoes are not available, small red potatoes, halved, may be substituted.

Serve with: Buttered noodles and steamed Swiss chard. Dessert: A bakery Linzertorte.