Bell Pepper

Real French Muenster (available at specialty foods stores) will make a big difference in this soufflé. What to drink: A dry white wine with plenty of perfume, like Gewürztraminer.

This streamlined version of a complex Catalan sauce makes for a gratifying weeknight supper — and a welcome alternative to pasta with marinara. The recipe is easy, and the sauce is made while the pasta cooks.

Improv: Replace the shrimp with sea scallops and use only poblano chiles.

Slices of succulent pork, a sauce made from the pan juices, sautéed onions and peppers, and cheese add up to the perfect halftime sandwich.

A fantastic way to use jarred peppers.

It's been decades since this dish was considered ethnic. Now we just think of it as down-home American food of the best kind. The moist, tender meat takes on a deep tomatoey flavor that suggests it's been slowly cooking for days rather than for less than 2 hours.

Among the many stories regarding the origins of this dish, the one we deemed "most likely, and most likely to succeed" came to us in 1944. E. Clarke King of Dayton, Ohio, sent us "the original recipe," which he claimed had been invented by George Greenwald, head chef at New York's Brighton Beach Hotel, for his parents (who owned the hotel) in the early 1900s. This time, we've lightened Greenwald's dish with stock and added red, yellow, and orange bell peppers. Even with the changes, though, the dish will likely evoke childhood taste memories for those of a certain age.

A creamy white cheddar cheese sauce makes this gratin luxurious enough to serve as a vegetarian main course.

The bold flavor of turkey is a natural with Mexican food. Fire-roasted salsa can be found in the refrigerated deli case at most supermarkets.

We liked turkey best in this easy one-dish meal, but if removing tendons from the drumsticks seems too laborious, substitute 1 1/2 pounds of smoked ham steak. Trim the steak, discarding any bone, then cut into 1-inch pieces.

Use the season's first wild mushrooms in this satisfying vegetarian pasta.

What to drink: Try these with a lightly chilled Oregon Pinot Gris.

Greg Longphee of Calgary, Alberta, writes: "Could you please provide me with the recipe for the black bean mussels served at Cilantro, here in Calgary?"

Good sausages are amazing but there just aren't enough occasions to eat them, so you've got to seize the opportunity when you can. Your living room tailgate is the perfect venue. Stick a fat sausage in a fresh long roll along with a healthy helping of peppers and juice, and you've got yourself a living room feast. The three different colors of peppers really make this dish a standout. Dave's Take: Pick up a very cheap, very clever splatter shield the next time you're in a dollar store. They look like a round piece of screening and have a plastic or metal handle. Set it over the skillet when you're frying or sautéing, and it'll keep the splattering (and cleanup) to a minimum.

Crudités and toasted pita triangles are good dippers for this Greek mezede.