Brunch

The following recipe comes from my mother's home economics class in Louisiana back in the 1940's. I hope your readers enjoy the muffins as much as I do.

Called chakchouka, this specialty is perfect for brunch, lunch or even a quick supper.Traditionally, it is prepared with a slender, spicy beef or lamb merguez sausage, and a soft bread is used in place of a fork to "grab and eat".

"Benne" is the Carolina Low Country word for sesame seeds, which came to the United States from Africa. This biscuit dough is made a day or so ahead, then formed right before baking. Angel biscuits, so called because of their tender, light texture, will not keep well at room temperature once baked

Robert Colombi of Paris, France, writes: "My mother was Sicilian and my father, Corsican, but I was born in Morocco and lived there for many years. As I became older, I developed a stronger interest in cooking, especially after I moved to France and got married. I guess I started to feel very nostalgic about the country of my childhood, and it became more important for me to remember and re-create those tastes for my French friends and family." Reminiscent of lightly fried pita bread, this rustic treat is good for breakfast. It is named after the first inhabitants of North Africa.

What to drink: Delicate blanc de blancs Champagne pairs well with these hors d'oeuvres.

Saturday night is typically pizza-making night for my family, and one of the standard features of these evenings is pizza with pesto and fresh tomatoes. I use a good store-bought pesto, and, although I once made the dough in my bread machine, I now purchase excellent dough at our local Bertucci's restaurant and keep plenty on hand in the freezer. The dinner is simple and delicious. A pizza stone is a worthwhile investment if you're partial to pizza with a crisp crust that doesn’t droop. For this recipe we used a large pizza stone (about 14 inches across). But don’t despair if you don't have one; we also achieved good results when we baked the pizza on a baking sheet.

The most delectable cinnamon rolls Karen Cabral of San Antonio ever tasted are those at the Pecan St. Bakery & Cafe in Blanco, Texas.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 25 min It seems like people have been making fun of the railroad for as long as we can remember, but no one jokes about the French toast that used to be served on the Santa Fe line. The train might have run late, but when indulging in a breakfast like this, who cared?

These layered biscuits require a little more effort than the conventional kind, but they're worth it. The recipe calls for White Lily all-purpose flour, which is made from an extra finely ground softer wheat than regular all-purpose flour and results in a lovely, tender texture. Active time: 40 minutes Start to finish: 1 1/4 hours

These mussels, flavored with garlic-herb butter and baked instead of steamed, beg for some crusty bread to sop up the wonderful sauce. Try them over pasta, too. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 35 min

Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Although polenta is traditionally made with cornmeal, we substituted matzo meal—with great results. It's far more tender than regular polenta, and tastes especially wonderful with the sauce from the braised veal with gremolata .

Prosciutto is more familiar in this type of appetizer, but bresaola, beef fillet cured in a similar fashion, gives it a fresh interpretation. When paired with golden Spanish Manchego, the combination is deliciously bold in flavor.

These are also nice for breakfast. Just top them with nonfat vanilla yogurt instead of the frozen yogurt suggested in the recipe.

This classic Swiss potato pancake and the Green Bean and Red Onion Salad are great together. Serve dry Champagne throughout the meal.