Peanut

Inspired by Vietnamese cuisine, this combination is also satisfying on its own as a meatless lunch.

During World War II, chocolate was too valuable to be used for baking. As a result, brownies, which had been a favorite since around the turn of the century, were made less often. With the return to prosperity in the 1950s, this much-loved dessert came back into vogue--and became more popular than ever. Our rich and dense brownies are studded with peanuts and chocolate chips, and are partnered with a rich milk chocolate and peanut butter sauce. They're terrific served with vanilla ice cream, peanut butter-vanilla swirl or peanut butter ice cream. Serve the brownies slightly warm or at room temperature.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Though it's not essential to make both sauces for these wings, we think the contrast between the rich peanut sauce and the light-yet-spicy gai yang — a classic Thai sauce for poultry — is a flavor combination that shouldn't be missed.

The combination of salty, sweet, crunchy, and smooth gives these confections a special place in my heart. That, added to the fact that they made an appearance at every bridge and mahjongg game my mother ever hosted, elevates their status to serious nostalgia food. You can find cans of Chinese chow-mein noodles in the Asian food section of the supermarket. The ones you want are cooked and ready to eat like crackers.

For convenience, you can use the mini candy bars available in one-pound bags.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, and lots of fresh mint accent the salad. Offer chilled beer or a fruity white wine alongside.

When fresh wide rice noodles are stir-fried, they are called fun. Fresh rice noodles have to be pulled apart and fluffed before cooking.

Ginger and crushed red pepper help round out the Thai theme of this quick dish.

Inspired by a spicy-hot snack mixture sold by East Indian markets in the United States, we played around with the "back of the box" recipe for Chex Mix and came up with the following. The sesame sticks called for are often included in cans of mixed nuts, but they are also found, without the nuts, in boxes or the bulk bins at natural foods stores and supermarkets. If you can't find them, substitute additional cereal.