Swiss Cheese

You don't need a panini machine to make these; use the low-tech method of weighting the sandwiches with a baking pan filled with canned goods. If you're making just one or two sandwiches at a time, you can cook them in a skillet and top them with another skillet weighted with cans.

A rich side dish for pork or lamb chops.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

If the crowd is larger than eight, make two frittatas and keep one warm. Served in wedges, frittatas are delicious hot, warm, or at room temperature.

To make quick work of the slicing, simply stack the ham and cheese and cut into strips approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide. Serve with: Sourdough rolls. Dessert: Peaches drizzled with honey.

Ham and Thousand Island Dressing

Anthony Bourdain I will always associate the smell of this dish with my first imaginings of France — and with the imminent arrival of guests. When I smelled this dish cooking downstairs, I knew company was coming. My mother made it for special occasions only. I remember being terrifically impressed that she served it in scallop shells. I yearned for this dish — knowing it only by smells — and was delighted when I finally turned old enough to sit down to eat with the adults. This was the reward.

"We dine at the Meridian Café whenever we're in Louisville. The portobello mushroom sandwich is our favorite," say Libby and Roys Ellinas of La Grange, Kentucky. "It has a tangy, creamy sauce that we would love to know how to make." Prepare this sandwich with any favorite bread — crusty country bread or artisan-style rolls would be especially good.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The recipe calls for both chicken broth and beef broth, but using either one or the other will give an equally good result.

Crusty sourdough rolls and coleslaw made of shredded red and green cabbage tossed with a vinaigrette are nice with the soufflés. Afterward, have a caramel-nut tart from the bakery and cups of herbal tea.