Pastries

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Honey flavors both the syrup and the filling in these delicate pastries. In the Middle East they are usually stuffed with nuts or cheese. Mozzarella is included in this version, which may seem unusual in a sweet filling, but it prevents the ricotta from becoming runny. The pine nuts are like little eggs resting in their nests.

Camembert aux Noix Amuse-Bouches Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 50 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Great with salads, with soups or for tea.

This is the Rolls-Royce of bran muffin recipes. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A bit more elegant than the average crisp, these pretty single-serving desserts are still quick to prepare.

When I was asked to be the guest chef for a meal honoring Sr. Alvarez del Manzano, the mayor of Madrid, at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, the menu included this classic Spanish tart. It is so rich and moist, it needs no more garnish than a little natillas [crèeme anglais] and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Don't save shortcakes just for strawberry season. They're also delicious served with other fruits, like this tropical combination.

This is a surefire Southern way to use leftover ham and either leftover or freshly baked biscuits. Sometimes the biscuits are large and the ham pieces merely roughly cut chunks. In this recipe the biscuits are made the size of silver dollars, the ham is thinly sliced and neatly trimmed, and the biscuits are served with tiny dollops of spicy mustard and freshly grated horseradish. Voilà! The "grab 'em and go" breakfast treat that has been imitated by many popular food chains is transmuted into an elegant hors d'oeuvre. Large or small, they're mighty good eating. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Silver dollar - size biscuits are the quintessential African-American breakfast bread. They can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(Pasticcetti All'amarena) Sour cherry preserves are commonly added to regional sweets like this one.