Nut

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

When we think of gazpacho most of us think of a cold chunky tomato-based soup. But this world-renowned export from the Andalucian region of Spain is actually one of many different types of soup — cold, hot, thin, red, green and white — which share the name gazpacho. White gazpacho remains closer than most modern varieties to the soup's origins as a simple combination of bread, nuts, salt, olive oil, and vinegar. Cucumbers, grapes and a pinch of cayenne elevate what was once a poor man's meal to a refined soup.

Camembert aux Noix Amuse-Bouches Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 50 min

The free-form crust of this large, rectangular tart is easy to create, but be sure to leave enough of a border (1 to 1 1/2 inches) to fold the edges up over the fruit filling. To serve, cut into squares.

Involtini di Manzo Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

Ellen Schwab, Bethesda, Md.
"I created this cookie, which combines my two favorite flavors — hazelnut and chocolate — just for this contest."

Freezing the steak for about 30 minutes makes it much easier to slice; using a grill pan is the simplest way to cook the slices.

This soup, actually my mother's recipe, is traditionally served at Passover, but it's so good that my family likes to make it all year round. A little chicken stock goes into the matzo balls, and the rest makes up the soup base. You can also use canned chicken broth, but for the best-tasting and most authentic soup, we think nothing beats homemade chicken stock. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Throughout Abraham Lincoln's political career, his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, would periodically bake for him the Todd family's favorite cake, based on a recipe dating back to 1825. On first tasting it, Lincoln is reported to have said that this white almond cake was the "best I ever ate." That's high praise, but we've made a good thing even better by adding a coffee-cinnamon layer and drizzling the cake with a luscious coffee glaze.

A colorful and unusual first course.

This can also be made with turkey cutlets.

The generous amount of cinnamon in this recipe makes for especially flavorful cookies.

This "stuffing" has a soft, custard-like texture and should not be baked inside a bird.