Bean and Legume

"Last year my family spent the holidays on the Big Island of Hawaii," writes Jo Lucarz of Phoenix, Arizona. "One afternoon we ate lunch in Kamuela at the Parker Ranch Grill, where we had the best chili ever — and coming from a group of Arizona natives, that's saying a lot."

"I'm from India," writes Hema Kundargi of Cupertino, California, "and I enjoy the foods of my homeland. My children are the opposite — they like 'American' food. But I haven't given up trying to make Indian meals that the whole family will like. This recipe pleases everyone."

"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.

Complete this meatless dinner with a salad of red leaf lettuce and sliced Asian pears. Pass a basket of warm pita bread. For dessert, top split bananas with brown sugar and coconut and broil until caramelized.

This is actually two soups that can be served separately or together. Each soup serves four; combined, the two serve eight.

Frijoles Negros Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 2 hr

Dry-cured country ham can be substituted for the hickory-smoked ham called for here.

"This is a recipe I created on a snowy night when my family needed a little warming up," writes Rebecca Averill of Beverly, Massachusetts. "I combined the spices of India with the flavors of the Southwest, and added bulgur to give the chili a meaty texture. "

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.

Try this with ciabatta or whole wheat bread.

"I recently had lunch at Café Boulud here in New York," says Shelli Rafkin of New York, New York. "My entrée, blanquette de veau, had the most incredible sauce I've ever tasted. The whole dish, in fact, was sensational." In this variation on the classic stew, the veal and the vegetables are cooked separately and combined at the end, when they're topped with a rich white sauce.

Brandy, apples and cream add a taste of France's Normandy region to this entrée.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Serve steamed rice mixed with fresh cilantro alongside this spicy Chinese-inspired dish.

When buying green beans, look for the skinniest ones—they have the best texture. Offer plenty of crusty bread, and open a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to go with this hearty main-course salad.