Sherry

Serve this flavorful roast with its rich mushroom gravy, the mashed potatoes here and sautéed carrots. A fruity Zinfandel would make a good wine choice.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

There's nothing like grilling some meat on the barbecue pit to make a weekend complete. Go ahead and serve this with potato salad. Oh, and remember, when slicing flank steak or London broil, you always want to cut across the grain. I made this for a kicked-up tailgating show on Emeril Live, and it definitely was one of the hits of the party out in the parking lot!

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(Gelat de Crema Catalana i Xerès amb Mel i Figues) The mellow, almond flavor of Amontillado Sherry works especially well in this rich, creamy dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

At the restaurant the chef garnishes this dish with fresh seasonal flowers, chervil, and chives.

This simple but sophisticated preparation is the star of the Thanksgiving table. Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Though these 1/4-cup dessert portions may seem small, you wouldn't want them any larger — they're extremely rich.

A lovely twist on the traditional pear and blue cheese pairing. Tender lamb's lettuce and toasted walnuts provide great contrasting textures. Use a vegetable peeler to make thin shavings of Parmesan.

For a casual supper, broil rounds of prepared polenta roll, and toss romaine lettuce with oil and vinegar; end with cheesecake. For a special dinner, have broccoli spears with browned butter and orzo pilaf with Parmesan. Buy a hazelnut dacquoise or other fancy cake from the bakery for a great dessert.