Italian American

For a curved tuile-like shape, these cookies may be draped over a rolling pin after their second baking, while they are still warm. If the cookies become too brittle to form on the rolling pin, return baking sheets to oven for a few seconds to allow the cookies to soften.

At Woodside in West Los Angeles, owner Noel Ampel and executive chef Nigel Faulkner both believe in taking the freshest ingredients and combining them in simple, yet highly sophisticated ways. This pasta is a fine example of that philosophy. A basket of crusty warm rolls and a salad of mixed baby greens with a Sherry vinaigrette are great accompaniments. End with coffee gelato and chocolate-dipped biscotti. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

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

You can use purchased sauce here, your own homemade or the versatile This is terrific over pasta.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes A simple ragout of shellfish and sausage, so easy to prepare it's almost a heat-and-serve dish. Cook the shallots and garlic, then the sausage, add the wine and rosemary, then the mussels, which will release their juices into the pan, and finish with the parsley and bread crumbs — a rustic, spicy, brothy dish to be eaten with good crusty bread.

White chocolate custard tops espresso custard in this luxurious make-ahead dessert. It's pretty garnished with fresh strawberries and coffee beans.

At Valentino, this is prepared with fresh pasta. Wonton wrappers make a convenient substitute.

If you have a set of clay tiles or a baking stone, place it on the oven rack while preheating the oven. It will absorb the heat, and putting a pizza pan or baking sheet directly on top will ensure a crisp crust.

A tangy tomato-herb sauce and Parmesan accent chicken that's cooked in a flash.

Elisa Mazzaferro-Rosenberg of Fort Collins, Colorado, writes: "I love to entertain, but between coming home late — I just completed my Ph.D. in small animal clinical sciences — and feeding my husband, Adam, and myself plus our little family of five cats and two dogs, I haven't had the time to have friends over much."

It doesn’t look or taste like it, but this pizza is low-fat. Each slice has just 346 calories and 4 1/2 grams of fat.