Christmas

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 3 days

So many German settlers carried their gingerbread treats to small towns around this country that the sweetly spiced cakes and cookies have become an all-American tradition. Coated with a chocolate ganache glaze, the homey cake of holidays past is transformed into a special-occasion dessert.

Candied-Fruit Honey Wafers Dipped in Chocolate You might be tempted to bake 2 sheets of cookies at a time in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Don't give in to this urge — the cookies must go in the middle of the oven to cook through and brown evenly.

This makes a rich but surprisingly light, torte. An absolute, worth-the-price-of-the-book winner. Mashed sweet potatoes make a great substitute for the traditional pureed chestnut paste. Chestnut puree is available kosher, but I have never been able to find it "kosher for Passover." It may seem unusual, but I can assure you of two things — it tastes divine and it is easier than buying fresh-in-the-shell chestnuts, roasting, poaching, and grating them to get them ready for this cake. You can also serve this in squares, as French-style "petit fours." The glaze slicks this up but is not necessary—a dusting of cocoa is just fine.

English Christmas "pudding" is really a dense, moist spiced cake. This gingerbread version is flavored with orange marmalade and topped with a traditional hard sauce — butter and sugar mixed with brandy.

David Leite's neighbor, Danny Pring, insists that the goose be served with red currant jelly.

Two shortcuts — prepared chestnuts and a purchased corn bread stuffing base — add to the appeal of this recipe from chef and Aidells Sausage Company founder Bruce Aidells.

White and red wines go equally well with pork. A lightly oaked Chardonnay and a fruity Merlot would be nice.

Hazelnuts and prosciutto are combined in a seasoned butter that coats the turkey as it roasts, and also flavors the gravy.

Serve with additional honey, if desired.

21st Century Recipe Today, when our far-flung family gathers for holidays, my mother, my sister, and I make this updated version of my grandmother’s recipe to go with our typical menu: grilled beef tenderloin served with a dollop of sour cream, horseradish and bacon sauce; grilled asparagus; potato casserole; a green salad with blue cheese crumbles; and pear and almond tart for dessert.

The cranberries add tartness, color and texture. Serve the pie with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, if you like.

The fudge can be cut into three wide bars. Wrap each in cellophane and tie with ribbon, adding a butter knife to the bow.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 4 hr

What to drink: Offer robust French roast coffee, but also a vintage or ruby Port.

Multi-grain breads can vary widely in density. As a result, the 10 cups diced bread called for below may weigh a little more or less than 1 pound. We preferred a light-textured seven-grain bread for this stuffing.