Blender

The vitamin C used in this recipe prevents the apple juice from browning.

Zucchini gives a summery twist to the classic leek-and-potato soup; this new take on an old favorite is served at Quisiana.

This light, spicy soup is delicious hot or chilled. The sautéed aromatics turn the broth a rich red-orange, more reminiscent of tomato than watermelon. See if your guests can guess the main ingredient. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr (3 hr if serving chilled)

In Indian cooking, tikka refers to chunks of meat cooked on skewers.

"Recently I had dinner at the Bacchus restaurant in Vancouver's Wedgewood Hotel," says Gail Sussman of Los Angeles, CA. "It seems safe to say that the Greek god himself would have appreciated the delicious rack of lamb. I'd be so grateful if you could obtain the chef's recipe."

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

There will be enough of this delicious make-ahead soup for seconds or leftovers.

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

Pan-roasting the vegetables imparts an earthy sweetness to this dish.

A low-fat alternative to beef, ground buffalo is becoming increasingly available.

After making this flavorful dressing in the processor, we give it a whirl in the blender for the smoothest texture. Crisp iceberg lettuce stands up best to this thick dressing. Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 15 min

We found that using a blender to begin the emulsion process for aïoli is much faster than pounding by hand from start to finish, which is the traditional method. Once using the mortar, resist the impulse to add the oil quickly — it will cause the mixture to separate. All the slow stirring requires a strong arm, so you may want to recruit a friend to help (especially because you need to make the aïoli in two batches). Very fresh garlic is crucial to this recipe. Bulbs should have smooth, tight skin and be firm and heavy for their size, with no green shoots.