Pie

Chill the pie for at least six hours before serving — or make it up to two days ahead.

Make this pie with a combination of tart apples — such as Winesap or Granny Smith — and sweet varieties like Fuji, Jonagold, Idared, or Mutsu.

Lindsay McDougal of Corona, California, writes: "When my husband and I first moved to Southern California from a small town between Edinburgh and Glasgow, we were amazed by the variety of foods available. It's almost unfair to compare the two places, since there are so many different ethnic cuisines here. We've come to love Mexican and Italian cooking, but we still find ourselves yearning for the traditional Scottish recipes we grew up with, like Scotch eggs and meat and potato pies. They're hearty dishes and so easy to make. " A variation of the popular Scottish snack Forfar bridies, these meat-filled turnovers are similar to Cornish pasties. They make a great lunch, but also can be cut into wedges and served as an appetizer.

A smooth filling enhanced with orange distinguishes this version of a holiday classic.

In order to create a realistic top for our "pumpkin," we used a church key can opener to make the indentations, but a vegetable peeler or knife would also work.

This dessert couldn't be simpler to put together. The no-bake crust is made from cookie crumbs and butter, and the pie itself cooks in just ten minutes.

"Last spring I went to New Orleans for the Crescent City Classic, an annual road race. One night I had dinner at Andrew Jaeger's House of Seafood in the French Quarter," says Gina Squires of St. Louis, Missouri. "The coconut cream pie was great." A toasted coconut topping adds texture and flavor to this old-fashioned dessert.

We have transformed this classic dessert from Blum's coffee shops, which used to grace the streets of San Francisco, into a low-fat luxury. We use caramel and Rice Krispies in the crust instead of fat-laden nuts — and you'd never guess that the rich chocolate coffee filling has no butter in it.

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

California is among the four leading honey producers in the country. And Texas produces some of the finest pecans. This pie has a touch of honey in the filling, in the topping and in the crunchy coating for the pecan garnish. An extra batch of the honeyed pecans is a great snack or holiday hostess gift.

Lemon brightens the sweet tang of buttermilk in this dairy-state specialty.

Caramel-flavored apples combine deliciously with a crisp streusel topping. A bonus: There are plenty of juices from the pie to spoon over scoops of ice cream.

The almond-scented blueberry filling is sprinkled with a pecan topping.

First came the grasshopper cocktail, a sweet digestif the essential ingredients of which are green (thus the grasshopper) crème de menthe, white crème de cacao, and cream; then, in the sixties, came the eponymous pie, which always has a crust of either cookie or graham cracker crumbs and is served chilled.

A rich, decadent frozen dessert that can be made ahead for a party.

"I have a 'stragglers Thanksgiving' — that's what I call it — at my house every year," writes Frances Teasley of North Hollywood, California. "I know a lot of people who, like me, don't have any family nearby. Thirteen years ago I started inviting a few people for dinner. And that small holiday gathering has become a big tradition among my friends. For weekday meals, I look for shortcuts and do-aheads. But for holiday meals, I like to do everything the same day because I love the smell of cooking that fills the house."

With its crisp sugary topping, this creamy dessert combines the best of two worlds: pumpkin pie and crème brûlée.