Italian American

This do-ahead brunch dish makes excellent use of leftover bread. Add a layer of salsa and Monterey Jack cheese for a Southwest flair; or replace the sausage and sun-dried tomatoes with some sautéed onions and Gruyère cheese for a French twist.

"I had a delightful dinner at Andiamo! Ristorante while on vacation in San Diego," writes Laverne Smith of Seattle, Washington. "Could you get their recipe for fettuccine carbonara? It was the best pasta I've ever had." Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the fettuccine will be hot when the sauce is finished; the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs that are tossed with it.

Steamed cauliflower florets, broccoli florets and carrot slices are mixed with olives and tossed with a sun-dried tomato and oregano vinaigrette in this Italian-inspired starter "from the garden."

Serve this zesty pasta with a salad of tossed winter greens sprinkled with shaved Parmesan or Asiago cheese, and a basket of seeded country Italian bread. Finish with orange sorbet and chocolate biscotti.

Italian Chicken with Mushroom-and-Wine Sauce The Creamy Polenta with Parmesan is a nice accompaniment to the chicken.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Allow about 5 1/2 hours for the pizza dough to rise. The small quantity of yeast and a long, slow rise give the crust its great flavor and texture.

We love this dish on its own, but a sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil can be a nice addition. If you can get fresh ricotta, by all means use it here.

Serve steamed rice with this dish to sop up all the garlicky sauce. You'll be amazed at how much the turkey tastes like veal—at a fraction of the cost.

In place of the pasta commonly found in Italian bean soups we've used wheat berries — minimally processed whole grains — for the following recipe.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Neapolitan in origin, this make-ahead savory pie is delicious either warm or at room temperature.

This recipe was created to prepare <epi:recipeLink ="14262">Chocolate Walnut Biscotti with Chocolate Custard Swirls</epi:recipeLink>.

A delicious take on lasagne, made with tube-shaped pasta instead of long noodles.

An Italian dish that's great with brunch, or as a light lunch or appetizer on its own.