Parmesan

Lorraine Stevenski of Clearwater, Florida, writes: "As a kid growing up in an Italian family, I loved being in the kitchen. But I didn't become serious about cooking until I got married and had my own kitchen to experiment in. My husband and I lived in Queens, New York, within walking distance of many Greek, Italian, and Spanish food shops. The new foods I discovered there inspired my passion for cooking." Panko is available in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets.

"Lidia's in Kansas City, Missouri, serves a rustic white bean and potato soup that would make a perfect meatless entrée for a winter evening," writes Deborah Johnson of Columbia, Missouri. "I order it every time I go there. Do you think chef Dan Swinney would part with his recipe?" Start this recipe a day ahead so that there's time for the beans to soak overnight.

Although a fondue pot suits this recipe, it isn't absolutely necessary. Simply put the fondue in a decorative microwavable bowl, and serve it warm. When the fondue gets too cold, just rewarm it in the microwave. Set out a small bowl for the used skewers.

Sourdough bread complements the Italian flavors in this stuffing from Bruce Aidells.

Kim Massman of Santa Monica, California, writes: "Help me, please. Since dining at The Federalist in the XV Beacon Hotel in Boston, I haven't been able to get the macaroni and cheese out of my mind. It was made with pasta, ham, and a creamy cheese sauce." The ham lends a salty flavor to this dish. Wait until the sauce is combined with the pasta and ham before seasoning with salt.

Lemon juice and peel offer a double punch of flavor in this delicious dish. Serve the risotto Italian-style as a first course, or American-style as a main course.

Cheryl Zook of Ketchum, Idaho, writes: "After I graduated from college last fall, I spent a few months in Europe. By far, my favorite stop was Florence. I'll always remember the vegetable soup I had at Ristorante Mamma Gina near the Ponte Vecchio." This is almost as thick as a stew. If you prefer a thinner soup, simply add more vegetable stock. Because the beans need to soak overnight, begin preparation a day ahead.

This can be completely assembled up to eight hours ahead, and then it requires only a short time in the oven.

You can top the spinach parmesean custard with some broken-up frico for added crunch or simply enjoy them on the side. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

Fennel seeds, balsamic vinegar, roasted peppers, and caramelized onions really rev up this easy side dish.

Fried sage leaves make a crispy garnish. Try them also crumbled on mashed potatoes and sautéed vegetables.

For a meatless pizza, skip the prosciutto and add sautéed sliced portobello mushrooms.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

This hearty soup makes delicious use of the flavorful 1/4-inch-thick rinds that remain after wedges of Parmesan have been grated away; they infuse the soup with a nice salty bite as it simmers.

This sophisticated main-course pasta goes wonderfully with garlic bread, Italian-style mixed greens drizzled with vinaigrette, and raspberry gelato with Italian macaroons.

I hadn't expected to find an entry on meat loaf in Alan Davidson's magisterial Oxford Companion to Food (1999). Indeed, I only looked it up there so I could say that meat loaf was a great and ubiquitous dish that everyone snubbed. Meat loaf, I intended to say, is a kind of joke.... Alan Davidson let me down. He had plenty to say about meat loaf..."a dish whose visibility is considerably higher in real life, especially in N. America and Britain, than in cookery books."

Oven-roasted red potato chunks sprinkled with chives; steamed and buttered baby carrots; and a limestone lettuce salad would be good accompaniments to this elegant main course. Finish with a strawberry-rhubarb pie from the bakery.

Risotto, by definition, is made with rice. But other grains—like the barley in this main-course recipe—can be prepared in the same style with equally terrific results. Toasting the barley enhances its nutty flavor and keeps it from getting soft and mushy.