Yogurt

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

"Instead of staring at the ceiling one night when I was having trouble sleeping, I passed the time by baking," says Angelo Monaco of Cambridge, Massachusetts. "The result of my insomnia was this chocolate cake. It's light, moist and really delicious."

Mint and spices add a Turkish flair to this yogurt-based marinade. The flavors are perfect with lamb kebabs or chicken. It's also a good dip for crudités or pita bread. The recipe makes enough to marinate 1 1/2 pounds of lamb or chicken, with some remaining to serve on the side. Any marinade coming in contact with raw meat, seafood or poultry must be boiled for one minute before using it for basting.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The almonds and crisp green beans lend good crunch. For a light lunch, serve this with French bread and a fruit salad.

(Gâteau de Pommes Grand-Mère) Sautéing the apples in butter (along with a splash of Calvados) before adding them to the batter lends an extra dimension of richness to this very simple apple cake. Enjoy a wedge with a cup of coffee in the morning or as a welcome afternoon snack with tea.

A tangy feta and yogurt sauce is the perfect foil for these fresh-tasting latkes. They make a nice starter for a party of ten.

Coffee cakes rank among the most popular of comfort foods, welcomed at breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and as the name indicates, coffee breaks. A coffee cake batter is generally more liquid than a quick bread one and contains a bit more sugar, and as a result, the final product is lighter and moister. On the other hand, coffee cakes tend to be less sweet than butter cakes. There are many versions of kuchen, this streusel-topped sour cream type being a very popular one. It is commonly served at the meal following Yom Kippur, or Shavuot, and on Sabbath afternoons or the melaveh malcha ("accompanying the queen") party following the Sabbath. For the later occasion, spices are added to the batter and topping, reflecting those used during the havdallah ceremony signaling the end of the Sabbath.

If you prefer, you can pile the lamb and salad on top of a larger pocketless pita for an open-face sandwich and drizzle with sauce. Pocketless pitas are sold at specialty foods shops and many supermarkets. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

"In your September 1997 issue, page 146, you answered a reader's inquiry about why pesto discolors," says Al Herron of Prescott, Arizona. "You offered a traditional solution, but I believe there is a better one: Mix fresh pesto with yogurt, and the pesto will not turn brown over time as it ordinarily does. (For many years I used the olive-oil-on-top trick with limited success.) I have kept leftover pesto mixed with yogurt in the refrigerator for several days with no discernible change in color or flavor. The proportion can vary — as little as one part yogurt to eight parts pesto, or as much as you like for flavor."

If you're using whole-milk plain yogurt instead of lebneh, you'll have to allow extra time (at least 8 hours) for draining. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 50 min

Ground cardamom is worth seeking out for this recipe — it adds another dimension to the dessert. The spice can be found at many supermarkets, Middle Eastern and Indian markets, and specialty foods shops. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.