Gourmet

With some warm corn bread, this chili is a meal in itself. You wouldn't know there was chocolate in the recipe, but it adds a subtle depth of flavor to the dish.

The following recipe uses whole chicken breasts with the "tenders" (fillet strips) still attached. Because some supermarkets remove the tenders and sell them separately, it is best to buy your chicken from a butcher. All is not lost, however, if you use chicken without the tenders ­ simply stuff the chicken breasts with basil and wrap with bacon as described below.

I cook millet about once a week — it fits into my macrobiotic diet and tastes great. I often make this recipe for friends as it pleases just about everyone. Millet is a small round golden grain that has a high vitamin and mineral content. Although millet is unfamiliar to most people in this country, it is a staple throughout Africa, India, and Asia.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

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

Tomato and Bread Soup

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(PESCE ALL' ACQUA PAZZA) The fanciful name of this dish derives from the "crazy" way the cooking water is transformed into a flavorful sauce.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Found throughout the Middle East, this shortbread-style cookie remains white after baking. Some people make diamond-shaped or round cookies with this dough, but the ring shapes are more common.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Although this dressing is rich in flavor, it has a surprisingly light and silky texture, which keeps it from weighing down the fragile lettuce.

"This incredible cheesecake was made by the mother of my first boss," says Jim Carrier of Greenwich, Connecticut. "When I called Mrs. Marshall to ask if she would consider showing me how she made it, she warmly replied, 'I would be delighted to share the recipe with you, kid.' On the evening of my 'seminar,' it was a wonderful sight as I walked into her kitchen and found the stage set with all the ingredients and utensils for the important lesson. Mrs. Marshall sat on a wooden stool and directed me through the entire process. 'Pick up that wooden spoon—and save some energy for later,' she said. 'You will be beating the egg whites by hand. We don’t use any electrical appliances in this production except the oven!' I dutifully followed each step. This is a cheesecake recipe to treasure." Although Mrs. Marshall doesn't use any electric appliances to make this cheesecake, feel free to use a food processor for the crumbs and an electric mixer for the filling. The cake will rise as it bakes and fall as it cools. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 6 1/4 hr

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This simple sauce enhances the natural sweetness in foods—try it on steamed cauliflower or asparagus or with sautéed fish.

Though this recipe makes more than enough hors d'oeuvres, they are small and disappear in a New York minute!

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but may require additional sitting time.