Winter

This recipe works best with Valrhona, Callebaut, or Lindt chocolate. The rich, slightly dense soufflés are made even more decadent when topped with the creamy caramel.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Tall and beautiful, sweet and tart, this cake has lots of lemon flavor and plenty of style, too. It's the perfect finale for a St. Patrick's Day dinner or other special occasion.

This recipe is adapted from George Lang's book The Cuisine of Hungary.

Debbie Daly of Morris Township, New Jersey, writes: "When my husband and I visit my brother in Madison, Connecticut, we frequently dine at a spot called Perfect Parties. The last time I was there, I enjoyed sweet potato ravioli with brown butter sauce served over spinach. I would love to make it at home." Serve the ravioli atop a bed of wilted spinach, if desired, to soak up every bit of the flavorful brown butter sauce.

It's hard to believe that there are only three tablespoons of butter in these biscuits, which are flaky and very tender. Malted milk powder is an interesting addition to the dough.

Makes 6 servings.

Silver Palate Sour Cream Apple Pie was the most popular apple pie at The Silver Palate, the gourmet take-out shop that Julee Rosso and I opened in New York City in 1977. This pie will win raves in your home too! When chopping the walnuts, make sure they're not too fine.

Here's a different use for one of the ingredients from the first Thanksgiving. Though this recipe is particularly easy to prepare with frozen winter squash purée, canned pumpkin purée or mashed freshly cooked butternut squash will work just as well. The squash will impart a beautiful golden color to the rolls.

This recipe—inspired by a similar dish served at the fabulously fast-paced lunch counter Cal Pep, in Barcelona, Spain—is terrific with pork chops or roast chicken. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Veggie crumbles, a savory blend of vegetable and grain proteins, lend this chili a hearty, ground beef flavor. Look for it in the frozen foods section of the supermarket. To go with the chili, warm some of the new flavored tortillas, and add a composed salad of jicama and red onion with poppy seed ranch dressing. Then splurge with banana splits.

Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.