Stew

This recipe is just right for a family meal or a casual party.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Pass grated cheddar cheese and extra salsa at the table.

Serve this lively chili with warm tortillas and a colorful plate of sliced avocado, tomato and red onion drizzled with lemon juice.

This is an adaptation of a recipe by Claire Winslow at The Would Bar & Grill in Highland, New York. Winslow and her partner, Debra Dooley, have found that their clientele is becoming more interested in meatless entrées, especially homey ones like this fricassee. Its great with buttermilk biscuits.

For a low-fat entrèe, be sure to remove all visible fat and membrane from the veal shanks. Tie them to retain a nice shape.

With some warm corn bread, this chili is a meal in itself. You wouldn't know there was chocolate in the recipe, but it adds a subtle depth of flavor to the dish.

If hojiblanca or cacereña olives are unavailable, use other Mediterranean olives.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. The fennel is the special flavor in this soup.

Just like some Mexican moles, this chili has a bit of chocolate in it. Serve sour cream and shredded sharp cheddar cheese alongside.

To begin, offer a bowl of brine-cured green and black olives, another of marinated artichoke hearts, and some pâté and toast. The cassoulet needs only red wine and a loaf of good French bread as accompaniments. A pear or apple tart would add an appropriate French country flourish.

This is fantastic with coleslaw and warm biscuits. What to drink: A not-too-oaky domestic Chardonnay or a white Burgundy, such as one from France's St.-Véran region.