Food Processor

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

You can make this up to three days ahead; be sure to start at least one day in advance.

Tracy Tortora of Marion, Massachusetts, calls these cookies Venetians and said they were the best from the assortment her grandmother baked every Christmas.

The verde on the succulent swordfish comes from the cilantro and chili marinade and a silky avocado mayonnaise. Start out with salsa and tortilla chips, and serve Mexican beer throughout the meal.

Excellent served cold in summer, the soup also makes a soothing hot starter during the colder months.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Rich, creamy, decadent—this could be the new benchmark for an American classic.

Use this versatile sauce as a dip for crudités, a dressing for cold fish or chicken, and as a substitute for mayonnaise. Tofu makes it virtually fat-free.

This recipe is from Ellyn Goodrich, one of the 5,000 Jews who live in Alaska (the "Chosen Frozen," as they call themselves). The fish is baked in a bundt pan and unmolded, for a festive look.

Inspired by the creamy mint-chocolate after-dinner drink, grasshopper pie was a hostess's dream: Composed of only a handful of ingredients, it took just minutes to assemble; then it could be stored in the freezer until serving time. Here is an updated rendition-with white chocolate instead of the original marshmallows-that is every bit as cool and minty as its predecessor. Those who don't want a grasshopper-green dessert can substitute clear ("white") crème de menthe for the colored liqueur.

Hazelnuts are teamed with strawberries and rhubarb in this rustic tart. Vanilla ice cream is a must for serving.

Dark chocolate never goes out of fashion, but white chocolate was all the rage in the eighties. Foodies couldn't get enough, enjoying it in truffles, tarts and sumptuous ivory-colored mousses like this one.

This recipe, given to me by my aunt, was given to her by her mother. Everyone agrees that it is absolutely delicious. The contrast between a sweet cake and a slightly spicy apple filling is piquant and delightful. The cake layers resemble large sugar cookies.

Ukrainian Dessert Dumplings These stuffed dessert dumplings with a chewy noodle-dough wrapping are a Ukrainian specialty. The fruit fillings vary widely—ours are stuffed with dried apricots and walnuts, then sprinkled with a cinnamon-crumb topping.

This recipe is an accompaniment for <epi:recipelink id="107772">Candied Kumquat and Ricotta Tart</epi:recipelink> . Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Though cheese blintzes rate as an all-time favorite in my family, I don't always have the time to prepare them in the usual fashion. Therefore, I created the following casserole, which has a fantastic flavor very similar to blintzes (some say it's even better); yet it takes only a few minutes to prepare. In fact, I make it often throughout the year. It is quite different from the popular cheese blintz casseroles made with frozen commercial blintzes. For my version, a layer of cheese filling is baked between two light layers of a special blintz-type batter. The casserole is then cut into squares for serving, making it a perfect choice for a dairy buffet and great for Shavuot. Since the first edition of this book was published, this layered blintz casserole has proven to be one of its most popular recipes. The dish is served at the famous Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, New York, where it has become a favorite brunch offering under the name "Easy Cheese Blintz Puff." And the recipe has appeared in a number of books and magazines. Like some of the other "creative" recipes in this book, this one appears to be on its way to becoming a classic of "new" Jewish cooking. <a name="note"></a>Notes: The types of cheese in the filling were determined after much experimentation with various mixtures. It is the best combination to produce the desired results of separate layers. The top of this casserole is rather plain. If desired, it may be sprinkled lightly with cinnamon or cinnamon-sugar before the casserole is returned to the oven for the final baking.