Citrus

Chicken gets a south-of-the-border treatment with a tomato-chipotle sauce infused with lime and garlic.

"Recently, I had dinner at the super-romantic Shadowbrook Restaurant in nearby Capitola," writes Holly M. Sharps of Menlo Park, California. "To get to Shadowbrook, you have to take a cable car down a hill. The restaurant is on several levels and has spectacular views of the ocean — not to mention great food. The salmon was absolutely delicious." The sake- and soy-based ponzu sauce is traditionally a Japanese dipping sauce. Here, it’s used to baste the fish as it cooks.

"While visiting Chicago, I had dinner at The Berghoff," writes Mary H. Wright of Arlington, Virginia. "I'd like to prepare the excellent lamb chops for my family."

This recipe is an accompaniment for Meringue Napoleons with Lime Ice Cream and Blackberries .

Crumbled amaretti add great crunch and nice almond flavor to this layered dessert.

Kache Piaz In India, most dry meat preparations such as kabobs, _tandoori_food, and cutlets are eaten with raw onions, because the onions provide moisture against the dry meat. Besides, these meat dishes taste better with onions. The onion slices are often squeezed slightly to extract and remove some of the juices; this is done to reduce the impact of too sharp and hot a taste. The onions are washed in several changes of water to rid them of any clinging juices; this also makes them taste less sharp. If you want the onions even milder, soak the squeezed onions in salted water to cover (about 1/4 teaspoon of salt per cup of water) for 1/2 hour, and drain. This will make the onions taste sweet, and best of all, there will be no onion odor lingering in your mouth. To make this salad more aromatic, add leaves from 2 or 3 sprigs of fresh coriander.

Start with tomato soup garnished with chopped fresh basil. Have deli potato salad with the main course, and for dessert, pears with Gorgonzola and biscotti.

"I have a 'stragglers Thanksgiving' — that's what I call it — at my house every year," writes Frances Teasley of North Hollywood, California. "I know a lot of people who, like me, don't have any family nearby. Thirteen years ago I started inviting a few people for dinner. And that small holiday gathering has become a big tradition among my friends. For weekday meals, I look for shortcuts and do-aheads. But for holiday meals, I like to do everything the same day because I love the smell of cooking that fills the house." Nice, fresh flavors for a side dish or salad.

A great dish from Dalvay By The Sea.

Once the soup is processed, the addition of extra yogurt adds a creamy texture. The diced cucumber and radishes add a crunchy texture. If hothouse cucumbers are not available, substitute the firm garden variety and double the amount called for. Peel cucumbers and halve lengthwise, then seed.

(Rouleaux de Poulet aux Kumquats, Sauce épicé) These spring rolls can also be made with duck instead of chicken.

Active time: 1 3/4 hr Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr (includes making pastry shell)

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 20 min

These crusty potatoes go well with the tuna in tomato sauce .