Citrus

Use this exotic curd as a filling for the Mango-Banana Cake or for mini tartlets.

Steamed cauliflower florets, broccoli florets and carrot slices are mixed with olives and tossed with a sun-dried tomato and oregano vinaigrette in this Italian-inspired starter "from the garden."

These crunchy cookies are a new version of classic Mandelbrot, which means almond bread in German. Here, recipe tester Selma Brown Morrow uses hazelnuts instead of the usual almonds. To add an elegant look, she dips the cookies into melted chocolate and seals them in holiday bags.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional sitting time. Butterflied leg of lamb can sometimes get a little unwieldy. To secure loose flaps of meat, run 2 long metal skewers lengthwise and 2 skewers crosswise through the lamb, bunching the meat together. Securing the lamb this way will also help it cook more evenly.

A fitting finale to a Mexican-style meal. Leftover cake is great for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

There will be enough of this delicious make-ahead soup for seconds or leftovers.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Using a pastry bag to pipe the hummus onto the pita toasts saved us a lot of time (and made for nice-looking hors d'oeuvres). You can make your own pastry bag with a heavy-duty plastic bag. Just spoon the hummus into the bag and squeeze it into one corner. Then snip off the corner to make a small hole and begin piping.

Canned mangoes are excellent in this dessert if ripe fresh ones are unavailable. Use a drained (1-lb 14-oz) can of mango slices in syrup. If the canned fruits you buy are Alphonso mangoes (our favorite variety of mango), add an additional 1/2 cup cream.

Goat cheese and mint make for a special springtime version of bruschetta. Serve these on a platter as an appetizer, or offer them alongside the Radicchio Salad .

Take these olives along on your next picnic.

Tiny whole squash are used in this pretty accompaniment, so it is especially easy to eat at a buffet.

You can select any type of bottle you like for this citrus-scented spirit, but choosing a wide-neck one makes it a snap to place the citrus peel into the vodka. For easy gift wrapping, tie ribbons around the neck to match the colors of the peels. Tell the recipient to use the vodka in orange juice or lemonade, or shaken or stirred in a Martini, or to serve it ice-cold and straight up.

This recipe was created to accompany Grilled Chicken with Goat Cheese Stuffing, Peppers, Onions and Two Salsas. A little of this fiery sauce goes a long way. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.