Bon Appétit

Thai red chilies are used at Keo's, but a sliced jalapeño chili will work just as well.

In this easy dish, the sage is at its best, partnered with shallots.

Since this exotic dish has a very flavorful sauce, serve it with couscous or rice.

Spruce up some purchased pasta salad with drained marinated artichoke hearts and marinated mushrooms for a hearty side dish. For dessert, spoon raspberries and sliced peaches over vanilla frozen yogurt.

A colorful dish that has great texture and deep, rich flavors.

Favorite Italian flavors — espresso and hazelnut — come together in these appealing treats.

Traditionally, these Greek cookies, known as koulourakia, are formed into rings, twists and half circles. In this recipe, they are shaped into bow ties and twists, then glazed with anise-flavored honey. These are delicately sweet and nice with coffee.

For a nice gift, simply decorate the jars with gold ribbon, and attach tags that include the rewarming instructions. Or pack a basket with a jar of this sauce, Chocolate-Almond Sauce , an ice cream scoop and four or six sundae goblets.

Try the sauce with grilled fish or chicken, too. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An innovative presentation from Flagstaff House Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado. Chef Mark Monette always offers a few meatless main dishes alongside his game and fish specialties. He serves rice with this one to catch the juices from the ratatouille.

A simple recipe that adds great flavor and a touch of heat to store-bought peanuts.

The stew does need to bake for a couple of hours, but it's very easy to put together.

Eggs are a staple of the Turkish diet. An ingredient in many dishes, they are also prepared on their own as a main course for lunch or as an appetizer for dinner. Here they are poached, set on a bed of yogurt (another staple) and drizzled with a red pepper-sage butter. The red pepper that fires up Turkish cooking - a cross between paprika and dried crushed red pepper - is much more popular than black pepper, especially outside the large cities.

If you thought you couldn't cook Thai food at home, this colorful and slightly spicy curry-a bit of a cross between a soup and a stew-will change your mind. It's a cinch to whip up after work and intriguing enough to impress your friends. Begin dinner with frozen egg rolls or take-out ones from a Chinese restaurant, and finish things off with ice cream or sorbet topped with chopped tropical fruit. GewÜrztraminer or Thai beer complements the menu nicely.

Use the extra dressing with boiled potatoes or green beans to make an instant salad later in the week.