American

In the South, you'll usually find this delicate spread — not a smooth paste, but slightly textured, to play up the flavor of the shrimp — on "benne wafers" (sesame-seed crackers). Spooned onto buttery toast points, it makes for tiny little bites with big sea flavor.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from White House Chef: Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen by Walter Scheib and Andrew Friedman. This is the snack mix President Bush brought with him from the Texas Governor's mansion. It's a Texas twist on an old American favorite, and we had to have it on hand at all times. In addition to eating it at the White House, the President never traveled without it.

Since the beans need to soak overnight, be sure to begin one day ahead. Spicy Italian sausage is a good substitute for the chorizo.

Give your meals a spicy kick.

Be sure the lamb is trimmed; otherwise, ask the butcher to do it for you.

Improv: Thai green curry paste would be great in place of the wasabi. Start with 1/2 teaspoon and add more to taste. Finish the sauce by stirring in a little chopped fresh cilantro.

Homey and old-fashioned, this comforting dish can be on the table in a flash, thanks to store-bought rotisserie chicken and biscuits made with self-rising flour.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Jamie Oliver's book Happy Days with the Naked Chef. For Oliver's Valentine's Day tips, click here. This great little cocktail was made by the barman after my mate Ben and I started working at Monte's.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Skinny: How to Fit into Your Little Black Dress Forever by Melissa Clark and Robin Aronson. Roasting the pears in chestnut honey gives this dish a nice robust flavor, but if you don't have any around or don't feel like seeking it out at a specialty store, regular honey works well too. The sprinkling of cinnamon on top is a classic with the pears, but feel free to flavor this dish any way you'd like — our variation using black pepper and thyme lends the pears an unexpected sweet and savory twist. Be sure to use firm Bosc pears here. Other varieties tend to fall apart.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Skinny: How to Fit into Your Little Black Dress Forever by Melissa Clark and Robin Aronson. Dressed with roasted red peppers, olive oil, mustard, and garlic instead of the usual bland mayonnaise, this chicken salad packs a punch. It's great made into a sandwich for lunch at the office. Or if bread isn't on your menu, serve the chicken salad on a bed of greens tossed with a little olive oil and sprinkled with salt.

The spices in Indian chai tea flavor this creamy cheesecake.

East meets West in this dessert version of the spring roll.

For an extra special look, pick up a mix of white, red, and purple baby potatoes.

This recipe originally accompanied Smoked Turkey and Bacon Chowder .