Almond

Kugels are baked puddings that come in many forms; Their base may be noodles, matzo, or bread or cake crumbs; most are sweet but some are savory; and they may be served warm or cold. Traditionally part of Jewish sabbath and holiday meals, slightly sweet noodle kugels are often served as a side dish. The following kugel would also work well as a dessert.

Nougat is an egg white, honey and nut confection traditional in the city of Montélimar, in the Rhône Valley. It is one of the 13 sweets offered to churchgoers on Christmas Eve. Start making this impressive dessert at least one day before you plan to serve it, although it can be prepared up to one week ahead.

The mix of flavors in this side dish is great with broiled lamb chops or roast chicken.

"Blue Moon in Dayton serves a fabulous goat cheese salad with a raspberry-poppy seed dressing," writes Susan M. Berry of Dayton, Ohio. "Would they share the recipe?"

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

The sweet, nutty filling might remind you of a pecan pie — with melted chocolate chips.

"I've always loved to cook, and though at eighty-nine I'm slowing down, I still love it," writes Mary Gareffa of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. "My grandfather and my father were both cooks in a monastery in Reggio Calabria, Italy, before they moved to this country, and luckily for me, my father was my cooking teacher. These are time-tested recipes for some everyday dishes that I grew up with and later served to my own family." Pasta frolla, Italian sweet pastry dough, is the tender press-in crust for this easy tart.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 3 3/4 hr See how to roll out dough.

Steve Silverman of South Burlington, Vermont, writes: "I consider myself more of a baker than a cook. When my kids were in elementary school and the only bread available at the supermarket was plain and white, I started baking. At one point, I was making five to ten loaves a week. But now I'm known for my challahs, which I give as presents during the holidays." This crunchy, not-too-sweet granola makes a terrific breakfast served with nonfat milk, or a delicious snack on its own.

Ground almonds add a delicate nutty flavor to the crust. Begin making the filling a day before assembling the tart; once completed, it can be chilled another day before serving.

Moroccan Turkey Pie Traditionally, Moroccan b'stilla is a pie made with minced squab.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This cake and custard sauce can also be made ahead. Both should come out of the refrigerator, to take the chill off, when the first course is served. The accompanying caramelized pears, which require not more than a few minutes to sauté, make a welcome addition to the cool custard sauce and moist cake.

Seasonal pears are poached and then layered with a caramel whipped cream and pound cake to turn England's comforting trifle into a lovely fall dessert.

(Provençal Anchovy Vegetable Spread) Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

These crisp, low-fat cookies are just right for dipping into dessert wine or cappuccino.