Casserole

This do-ahead main-course strata is simply a savory bread pudding. Pour a Pinot Blanc or Viognier throughout the meal.

Juana Vázquez-Gómez of Redondo Beach, California, writes: "Growing up in Cuernavaca, just outside Mexico City, I remember my grandmother cooking elaborate Mexican meals every day. My mother continued that tradition, but not in such an all-consuming manner. For her it was a great joy to plan a menu and then invite people to help with the preparation. "The women in my life taught me the beauty of a good meal. I still use many of their recipes today, but unlike my grandmother I don't spend an entire day in the kitchen. Fortunately, my husband and kids like to cook, so I've found a balance between my grandmother's time-intensive recipes and my mother's practicality. "

Giant beans in some form or another are never absent from Greek meze menus. The key to making this dish taste as good as possible is to use high-quality roasted sweet peppers preserved in extra virgin olive oil. I usually make my own oil, and have them on hand. All you need to do is roast the peppers whole under the broiler, let them cool, peel them, and store them in a container in the fridge covered with good olive oil. You can pour a few tablespoons of the pepper-infused oil into the baking dish for added flavor. As for the beans themselves, the trick is to get the texture right. Giant beans need first to be soaked, then boiled, and finally baked. Once done, they should be soft, almost buttery, without being baked to the point that they fall apart.

This do-ahead brunch dish makes excellent use of leftover bread. Add a layer of salsa and Monterey Jack cheese for a Southwest flair; or replace the sausage and sun-dried tomatoes with some sautéed onions and Gruyère cheese for a French twist.

A nice dish for a brunch buffet.

Make this at least one day and up to two days ahead for best flavor. This is a much simplified version of the classic smoked meat and bean cassoulet.

Brandy, apples and cream add a taste of France's Normandy region to this entrée.

Offer a colorful side of steamed broccoli with slivers of red and yellow bell peppers and a lemon dressing. Finish lavishly with chocolate pecan pie à la mode.

My friend and colleague Ric Lands learned a similar recipe, using squash from my book New Southern Cooking. He and his family so enjoy this zucchini version that they make it every Thanksgiving, as do I. It can also serve as a rich main course for a light supper.

I’m always looking for ways to make interesting weeknight meals," says Sandy Stevens of Las Vegas, Nevada. "Since tamales are one of my teenagers' favorite foods, I came up with a new way to serve them. This casserole is a big hit with my whole family." The spicy casserole can also be made in a microwave: Cook on high until it's hot and bubbling, about 15 minutes; rotate the dish several times, if necessary.

Most of the assembly for this layered bread-and-egg dish can be done one day ahead. Serve it hot or warm.

This pie, reminiscent of a frittata, is a great way to use up leftover pasta. Serve it with bread and a salad for lunch, brunch, or dinner.

A comfort-food treat that's great for brunch. This version takes less time than most because the noodles aren't precooked.

A delicious take on lasagne, made with tube-shaped pasta instead of long noodles.