Nut

A decadent, impressive dessert that appeals to everyone's inner Boy Scout or Girl Scout. Begin preparing this a day ahead.

Susan Murphy of Kansas City, Missouri, writes: "My daughter and I love to spruce up boxed cake mixes with spices, nuts, or fruit. One afternoon we decided to experiment with banana muffin mix instead. We made a very moist cake, filled it with fresh banana slices, then topped it with creamy homemade frosting. It's one of our favorite creations to date."

Caramelized pears plus dried apricots, cranberries, and prunes add intense fruit flavor to this stuffing from Rochelle Palermo Torres, a freelance recipe developer and cooking teacher.

A complete vegetarian main course, with fresh herbs and Moroccan accents.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Serve this curry with condiments such as dried currants, sliced green onions, shredded coconut and toasted slivered almonds.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 4 hr

When freshly baked, these appealing cookies are chewy, crisp, and tender all at the same time. If stored in an airtight container for a day, they are still delicious, only softer.

Think you don't like brussels sprouts? Think again: These are pretty irresistible.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Brushed with sweet orange syrup, filled with almond cream, and covered with toasted almonds, even the most run-of-the-mill store-bought croissants are transformed into something heavenly.

The crunchy crumb topping contrasts nicely with the orange-scented sweet-potato puree. Sweet paprika adds a touch of heat.

Serve this on its own, or use it for chalupas, tacos, or nachos.