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Here's proof that an elegant dessert does not have to take hours to make. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Make the tartar sauce at least one day ahead.

Here, the classic cranberry sauce becomes a salsa. The traditional ingredients — cranberries and orange — are enhanced with decidedly untraditional ones, such as a poblano chili and cilantro.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

When Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield went looking for a loan to start their first ice cream store in Burlington, Vermont, the future fathers of Chunky Monkey and Cherry Garcia were told by a local banker that they'd need to serve something other than just ice cream to make it through the lean winter months. So they sold crepes stuffed with ice cream and doused with hot fudge sauce. "Talk about comfort food," says Cohen, who wasn't above snitching occasional leftovers as they came through the kitchen. "They were great—an amazing synergy of crepe, ice cream and sauce." This recipe, which features luscious cooked pears in addition to ice cream, yields a few extra crepes. Cool and stack the leftovers, separating them with sheets of plastic wrap; then place them in a resealable plastic bag and freeze for later use. Or rewarm the crepes and serve with jam or maple syrup for breakfast the next morning.

Pass these around to accompany cocktails before everyone sits down for dinner.

This classic combination of melted cheese and toasted bread is also called Welsh rarebit — an attempt to dignify the original (and slightly silly) name. For best visual appeal, use an aged yellow Cheddar for the sauce.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Fish cakes make festive party fare. They're especially good when complemented with a cool, colorful and crunchy cucumber, radish and cilantro salsa.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Our technique videos will show you how to fillet fish and make beurre blanc.

In this take on a classic salad, we combine bulgur with the usual tomatoes, green onions, parsley and mint, then add garbanzo beans and broiled lamb for a change of pace.

Salsa de Tomatillos y Lima This tart, mildly spicy, and bright green salsa is so delicious that you might want to double the recipe to have extra on hand. It's great mixed into guacamole or veggie sautés (for a little tangy kick). Or try it as a topping for anything from nachos to scrambled eggs to baked potatoes. This recipe is an accompaniment for Oval Masa Cakes with Goat Cheese Filling .

On a Green Chile Cheeseburger fresh roasted chiles are as uncommon — and as welcome — as really fine cheese. The topping can be as simple as a whole roasted pod draped across the burger. Or a few plain roasted pods can be chopped and spooned on top. To give the sandwich extra pizzazz, we prepare our version, inspired by Santa Fe's finest offerings, as follows: