Sausage

Button mushrooms would also be fine here. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A low-fat sausage will work here, though it will not produce as flavorful a gumbo.

You will need three pots for this recipe.

Do-ahead tips make this rendition of the Spanish classic perfect for entertaining.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes A simple ragout of shellfish and sausage, so easy to prepare it's almost a heat-and-serve dish. Cook the shallots and garlic, then the sausage, add the wine and rosemary, then the mussels, which will release their juices into the pan, and finish with the parsley and bread crumbs — a rustic, spicy, brothy dish to be eaten with good crusty bread.

Ask your butcher to make a "pocket" in the veal breast for you.

While this recipe isn't terribly difficult, it is labor-intensive. We recommend you break it up into a couple of steps: Make the filling, then enlist a friend or two to help you do the rolling the following day.

The roast is cooked along with beef short ribs, ham hocks and sausage for a hearty meal. Offer with polenta, mashed potatoes or the Roasted Root Vegetables with Green Onions . Begin the veal the day before cooking to allow the garlic-herb rub to flavor the meat.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

All Southern cooks have their own ways of making gumbo. Our recipe contains neither okra nor filé powder, producing a thinner, lighter gumbo.

Maple syrup in the corn bread adds a touch of New England to this traditional stuffing. The leftover bread is also nice with scrambled eggs or omelets.

In addition to assorted mustards, offer the pickled onions, tomato salsa, and pineapple relish. Hot dog buns can stand in for the pita, and bagged lettuce is an easy option. What to drink: Beer and lemonade will quench everyone's thirst.

What to drink: Sangiovese wines are a classic pairing with robust pasta dishes. Try the Cantina di Montalcino 1999 Poggio del Sasso, a good-value Super Tuscan.

Most supermarkets have at least one type of spiced sausage. If you don't have the time to make cornbread, it usually is sold at BBQ restaurants and diners. This recipe is an accompaniment for Maple Ginger Roasted Turkey.

This do-ahead brunch dish makes excellent use of leftover bread. Add a layer of salsa and Monterey Jack cheese for a Southwest flair; or replace the sausage and sun-dried tomatoes with some sautéed onions and Gruyère cheese for a French twist.