Fennel

Not your typical corn bread dressing, this one from Michael McLaughlin features smoky ham and sautéed fennel.

No carving required: Have the butcher bone the turkey breast, leaving the breast halves attached; then just slice at the table before serving. In addition to the sweet potatoes and cranberries, serve buttered green beans and bread alongside the turkey. Pour Chardonnay or Zinfandel, and finish off with the classic pumpkin pie, dolled up with one of the recommendations on the next page.

"I run a salon, and I’m an instructor at a cooking school," writes Sandy Ercolano of Ridgewood, New Jersey. "It seems that I’m always in the kitchen. At home I cook meals and come up with recipes for my classes. Of course, my family eagerly tries anything I make." To turn this main-course salad into a side dish or vegetarian entrée, omit the shrimp.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Rockfish is used in this dish at Cashion's Eat Place in Washington, D.C. If you can't find rockfish fillets, substitute sea bass.

Uncork your best Merlot with the veal.

Team the fish with steamed rice and sautéed spinach, and pour a Sauvignon Blanc.

The inclusion of fennel and a dash of Pernod puts a sophisticated spin on the classic chilled potato soup. Offer your guests iced tea with the meal.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An elegant but easy first course. Frozen artichoke hearts are used for the filling, and purchased gyoza or wonton wrappers replace homemade pasta.

Note: To slice the onion and fennel in the following salad into paper-thin spirals, we used a Japanese rotary device known as the Benriner vegetable slicer.

Italian flavors accent this innovative stuffing. We suggest making it with the Roast Turkey with Red Currant Jelly and Citrus Glaze; reserve the fennel stalks and fronds for use in the stock that's needed for the gravy.

Pomegranate seeds add crunch and tang to this fennel salsa, which makes a perfect accompaniment not only to these pork chops but also to lamb.

This impressive main course is ideal for a healthful dinner party. Serve it with crusty country style bread to soak up the flavorful juices.