Parade

This ice cream explodes with twice the vanilla flavor of store-bought varieties.

Once the soup is processed, the addition of extra yogurt adds a creamy texture. The diced cucumber and radishes add a crunchy texture. If hothouse cucumbers are not available, substitute the firm garden variety and double the amount called for. Peel cucumbers and halve lengthwise, then seed.

To clean leeks, trim off 3 inches of the green and then slice them in half lengthwise. Run under cold water to remove sand, then continue with the recipe.

When preparing beets, trim off all but 1 inch of the roots and the stems. Cooking time may vary, depending on the size of the beet.

John C. Ryan, Murphysboro, Ill.
"My wife used to make a better chili than I do, which is how this recipe got its name."

I leave the skin on the breasts so I can stuff the herbs and garlic underneath.

Faye Gardner, Haleyville, Ala.
"I perfected a sister-in-law's cookie and have been baking them every Christmas since 1969."

Happily, this fish dish can be made a day ahead. Simply remove it from the refrigerator and arrange 2 hours before serving. Even better, the sauce also can be made 2 days ahead and kept, well covered, in the refrigerator. It's from Mexico, One Plate at a Time (Scribner), by Rick Bayless, the celebrated Chicago chef and cookbook author.

As pork is bred very lean these days, searing the meat holds in the juices. It is therefore a very important step.

If you can't find fresh lobsters, frozen lobster meat can be used.

Cid Prevost, Kansas City, Mo.
An ad director who collects cookbooks (last count: 300-plus), Cid grows 14 varieties of herbs in her garden: "For this chili, I use my own cilantro, basil and bay leaves."

This golden curry cooks quickly, so the vegetables are just tender. A flourish of mint adds the final spark.

Use a sharp vegetable peeler to shave the Parmesan cheese into long strips.

These birds are one of many excellent grilling ideas from Steven Raichlen, author of The Barbecue! Bible (Workman, 1998) and How To Grill, in bookstores later this month.

Provide knives so your guests can slice the sections into individual ribs. Have lots of damp paper towels on hand.

Both the sugar and the vanilla enhance the flavor of the whipped cream.

You can buy a cooked chicken and frozen puff pastry for this dish. Both make this pot pie a very easy family meal.

Mario Batali, star of the Food Network's Molto Mario, is one of the top chefs in New York City, where he owns three restaurants with Joe Bastianich — Babbo, Lupa and Esca. This dish, from Batali's book Simple Italian Food, is served at Lupa.

When cooking with tomatoes in September, buy them ahead of time and let them ripen on your counter.