5 Ingredients or Fewer

If fresh figs aren't available, dried black Mission figs can be substituted here; look for ones that are soft and moist. What to drink: Crisp Pinot Grigio pairs nicely with the entire meal.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr (includes freezing)

This chocolate cream icing is a pastry chef's staple. Use it to glaze a cake or, when it cools, whip it to a piping consistency.

To save even more time, buy the peppercorn medley packaged in a pepper grinder in the spice section of the supermarket. Serve with: Curried rice and sautéed snow peas.

You can grill the zucchini alongside the grilled charmoula lamb chops , then loosely cover it to keep it warm while the lamb is standing. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

Home-style Caribbean fare is often accompanied by coconut rice, a wonderful side dish to temper the heat of spicy food. Pair it with the spicy okra for a simple and satisfying vegetarian meal. Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 35 min

The rule for figuring out the proper amount of stuffing is easy to remember — approximately 1 cup per pound of bird. This works very well unless you want stuffing for only one meal, in which case this quantity is excessive. So, starting from the maximum, reduce the among of stuffing to suit your needs.

When he was the chef at the Carlton Hotel in London, Escoffier created Strawberries Americaine Style — strawberries in orange liqueur, blended into whipped cream and softened ice cream. Little did he know that it would one day be the star dessert of every posh dining spot in California. "Prince" Mike Romanoff "borrowed" the recipe and gave it a new moniker. Soon it was the hottest item on the West Coast. The L.A. Biltmore called it "Strawberries Biltmore." The Palace Hotel in San Francisco served it with anisette and maraschino.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This low-fat recipe won a contest that included mostly high-fat desserts.

This recipe was created to accompany Grilled Hoisin-Marinated Butterflied Leg of Lamb .

This recipe makes very dark, mahogany-colored drumsticks. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.