Cheddar

Prepared with eggs and baked until firm, this mac and cheese is terrific hearty fare for a cold winter night.

One of the best ways I know of serving a dish the second time around is to dress up the leftovers in tortillas, bake them in a spaghetti sauce, and top them with crunchy stuff. Even a picky kid might not recognize last night's dinner — if you're lucky. You can use the same fillings and toppings you would with tacos or try some others.

Cheddar is much easier to grate when it's very cold, so keep your cheese in the refrigerator until you are ready to proceed with this recipe. Don't be tempted to use anything other than a nonstick skillet, or the chips will stick and tear.

Serve with: Sourdough toast and a mixed green salad. Dessert: Oversize brownies.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cottage cheese is the secret to the moistness of these muffins. They're good spread with a bit of honey.

Thirty-six garlic cloves may sound like a lot, but they're cooked until mellow in flavor. This recipe was created to accompany Spiced Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Mango Salsa.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe is based on a delicious dish made by Laura DaMiano, a Quebecois chef. She loves the flavor of butternut squash paired with Oka cheese, a mild, semisoft cow's-milk cheese. Mild Cheddar can be used as a substitute. If you are making this entire menu in a single oven, and you are not making the scalloped squash ahead, you can bake the squash while the ham is standing after braising.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.