Sour Cream

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Easy and delicious. Sautéed breadcrumbs top a mixture of spinach, cheese, and sour cream.

To bake these puffs all at once, you will need 6 mini-muffin pans, each containing twelve 1 3/4- by 1-inch cups. However, you could also make them in batches using fewer pans.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Pumpkin pie was introduced to the holiday table at the Pilgrim's second Thanksgiving in 1623. Decorate this American classic with some whipped cream, or serve the cream alongside.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The layered salad was popular in the Midwest throughout the seventies. We've updated it for today's speedy lifestyles and lightened-up diets. Round out the meal with a basket of corn bread, and mugs of tomato soup. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

We think bowls made of ice are the perfect vessel for this soup, but if space is tight in your freezer, regular soup bowls will work just fine. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 8 1/2 hr (includes chilling)

Serve Champagne with this starter.

Gianduia, a ground hazelnut and chocolate confection from the Piedmont, inspired this spectacular terrine.

"My daughter and son-in-law spend their summers on Stuart Island, one of the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington," says Ann Ayres of Santa Barbara, California. "On my way back from a visit, I planned to stop in Victoria, British Columbia. My daughter suggested that I try Paprika Bistro. The beet soup I ordered there was delicious."