Nut

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

In the forties and fifties, before the widespread popularity of fortune cookies, countless Chinese meals were brought to a close with traditional almond cakes like these. The customary all-lard base of this once very popular sweet is here lightened with vegetable shortening. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Turkey will take a little longer to cook when it is stuffed and must be perfectly balanced on your spit. It is wise to tie it securely once you have achieved perfect balance with it. The stuffing will take the place of a starch dish and cut down on the preparations for the dinner. Allow 1 cup of stuffing for each pound of turkey.

In the 1600s, "flapjack" referred to a thick pancake that was cooked on a skillet and turned by being tossed (flapped). By the 1930s, it had come to mean a biscuit like this, made from rolled oats, syrup and butter--sort of the granola bars of their day. They're the perfect thing to have with a cup of tea or coffee.

This dish comes together quickly, making it ideal for a weeknight dinner. Just add some steamed rice or sauté baby potatoes and a tossed green salad

"When we visit our daughter at Amherst College in Massachusetts, my husband and I stay at The Lord Jeffery Inn," says Caroline I. Cameron of Washington, D.C.."The granola at breakfast is terrific. I would be grateful if you could get the recipe from their chef so that I can surprise my husband by making the granola at home." This granola can also be enjoyed as a snack with the addition of chocolate chips. You could sprinkle it over ice cream, too.

These cookies have a wonderful texture; chewy yet crunchy-just like a candy bar.

You can make this up to three days ahead; be sure to start at least one day in advance.

These biscotti can be baked in different size pans — even free form on a baking sheet — depending on what shape you’d like them to be. We used an 11- by 4-inch pan for a square shape. A 9- by 5- by 3-inch pan yields a long, narrow rectangle. The cooking time will not be affected by the pan you use.

Hazelnuts are teamed with strawberries and rhubarb in this rustic tart. Vanilla ice cream is a must for serving.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cake making was quite a fad in the twenties. The new gas stoves were efficient, reliable and easy to operate; besides, with more women working outside the home, there wasn’t as much time to prepare multiple desserts, so fancy layer cakes were made to satisfy everyone. Marshmallows were popular in the decade, and they were used in desserts, salads and side dishes. Here they sweeten an old-fashioned frosting and decorate this easy-to-make chocolate cake.

If you choose to omit the sweetbreads, simply begin the recipe by sautéing the pancetta. (In that case, you may also want to purchase a larger veal or pork loin — going up to a 5-pound veal loin or a 6-pound pork loin.)

A longtime favorite of copy editor Brenda Koplin. They are great for parties and make lovely gifts, too. Brenda likes to pack them in pretty containers, with the recipe included.

When I was a little girl, my Aunt Lisl always made butter cookies at Hanukkah time. We decorated them. The cookies were stored in her garage in airtight containers. Sometimes we got to take some of them home. Other times, we just nibbled on them at her house. One of the best things about cooking with relatives is that it's a great time to ask for family stories. While we baked, Aunt Lisl told wonderful tales of my father's boyhood in Germany.