Perfect drizzled over fish, potatoes or beef.

Ajo blanco, a white version of gazpacho, is believed to have originated with the Moors. If you’d like a smoother texture, try soaking the blanched almonds in milk before processing.

This decadent dessert is impressive and easy to make.

For a Mexican dinner, I substitute tomato salsa and guacamole for the Mango Salsa. Sautéed sweet red peppers and onions make a delicious side dish.

Courtesy of www.pc.ca.

I deliberately buy too many bananas so I always have a few extra in the freezer for this bread. When bananas are just past the point of ripeness, peel and chop, then freeze them in a freezer bag or container. Be sure to use within two months. This recipe calls for sour cream or plain yogurt, which both happen to be staples in my fridge. They keep well and can be used for many other recipes as well. Plain yogurt is particularly delicious as a dessert when drizzled with honey.

This sauce is incredibly versatile. It's used in a whole array of dishes from every day macaroni and cheese to special occasion lasagne. You can even easily increase or decrease the amount according to your needs.

This recipe has 3 components to it -- beets, goat cheese phyllo packets and an egg. You can choose to put all three together on one dish, make 3 distinct dishes, or create one unique combination.

This dish comes together in minutes, but be sure to turn on the fan because the cooking process creates some smoke. Serve French fries and a cooling side of coleslaw with the catfish.

Recipe courtesy of Lobel’s Meat Bible (Raincoast Books).

A soufflé isn't as tricky to make as is often thought. It's true that it must be served immediately for all to enjoy the sight of that spectacular puffy top. But, it's actually very tasty regardless of whether its "breath" has escaped and deflated it.

I have been a paté freak ever since earlier writing times, when I would sit at the bar at Thursday’s in Montréal with a loaf of it, a jar of small, sweet gherkins and a red (probably plum) sauce. Whether or not there was bread, I can't remember. But it was a coarse paté; you could see the lumps and taste masses of herbs and tonnes of garlic. You don't forget things like that, especially in the first twelve or so hours! This recipe calls on several others, but ended up being mostly my own. I use frozen livers, and just before they thaw, cut them up like red ice cubes. It's less yucky than having a great glob of fresh meat!

The flavour of the dish will change depending on the type of curry you use, so pick the curry flavour you like best and run with it, paste or powder. I buy chicken breast fillets when they’re on sale and keep them in the freezer for quick no-fuss meals.

Although this recipe calls for liqueur, whisky, rum or any other spirit would work as well.

This is the classic recipe that's typically used to make profiteroles (cream puffs) and croquembouche. 

Somewhere in the back of your cupboard you have a can of crabmeat. Tonight’s the night. Lemon wedges and hot pepper sauce are the ideal condiments, with steamed green beans and potato salad to round out the meal. Or whatever you have. 

Spread your favourite jam on each crêpe and spoon a dollop of whipped cream sweetened with sugar and a splash of Luxardo Maraschino liqueur to transform this appetizer into a luscious dessert. Updated from an old recipe I had from Sunset Magazine.

Most of the components of this dish can be prepared ahead, allowing you lots of time to enjoy your guests. Recipe adapted from Gina Steer’s The Fondue Cookbook (Whitecap Books).

If you have trouble finding some of the ingredients for this dish, there are some easy substitutions you can make, and you will still end up with the same delicious results. For the tamarind, make a paste out of lemon juice and dried dates, or use 1/2 cup cider vinegar mixed with 1 Tbsp sugar. For the galangal, use fresh ginger. For the lemon grass, use the rind of 4 small lemons.

Asparagus is best when it’s served immediately. Remember to rinse the morels well because they can harbour sand. This recipe, created by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten of New York’s Jean Georges Restaurant, was taken from The New York Restaurant Cookbook by Florence Fabricant (Rizzoli International Publications, Inc).

This recipe has been adapted from the Robin Hood Flour recipe collection.

Save time by preparing the béchamel sauce while the meat sauce simmers. The lasagna can be assembled up to one day ahead. Cover and chill, then when you're ready, bake it.

This yummy tart, courtesy or Ricardo Larivée, can be served warm or cold with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream. Try seasoning the filling with ground cinnamon to taste. It's also delicious with homemade caramel sauce.

My friend Johanne, who has deep Quebec roots, sent me this recipe — her mom’s — for maple syrup pie. Like all sugar pies, the key word is sweet.

Here’s another version of the same tarte au sirop d’érable, this one from my friend Carol, and again from her mom. The big différence here is that the pie shell is pre-cooked. Take your pick.

You can buy frozen meatballs, but freshly made meatballs are so much better and so easy to make.

This recipe is comprised of five steps. The first four steps can each be made a day or two ahead. Don't feel daunted by the long list of ingredients and the many steps. The variety of chilies can be found at Mexican grocery stores as well as at Whole Foods stores. If worse comes to worst, don't sweat it. Use whatever chilies you can lay your hands on. Remember, by doing exactly that, the Mexicans created a handful of delicious mole variations.

This is a delicious treat adapted from The KitchenAid Cookbook. Easy to put together, it makes a wonderful anytime snack, or dare I say, breakfast.

This classic French dessert was created in the 1870s, inspired by the “belle Hélène,” the handsome title character of an opera by Jacques Offenbach — the original composer of French cancan music. While poaching fruit may seem like something you’d reserve for newborns and nursing homes, you’ll be singing (and possibly cancanning) when you see the result, as delicious as it is visually stunning. This recipe is adapted from a beautiful and elegant book, The Seven Sins of Chocolate.

The secret to this silky and light pound cake, courtesy of legourmettv , is the length of time you beat the butter.

A flavourful recipe adapted from the California Culinary Academy.

Not all supermarkets carry rabbit, so you might have to scout around for it. You can repalce it with chicken, if you'd like. Thanks to Chef David Wolfman for this scrumptious recipe.

A chocolate sauce for meat may seem out of place, but so do most things bordering on the divine. A bit of the bittersweet adds wonderful depth to this sauce. It also makes great dinner conversation. If you’re involved in a game of culinary one-upmanship with your friends or siblings, serving this unique combination of flavours will vault you to first place. I found out it also works well with beef tenderloin and with cayenne added to the sauce for those who like heat.

Vancouver-based Iron Chef Rob Feenie combines French cuisine with Canadian influences. To say he does it successfully is an understatement. His restaurants, Lumière and Feenie’s, are internationally recognized and hugely popular with West Coast locals. This is his recipe.

Change the toppings, grill it on a charcoal or propane barbecue .... This recipe is quick, easy and delicious.

Courtesy of The Silver Spoon (Phaidon Press).

This recipe is courtesy of La Fontaine de Bernn snail farm.

This recipe is a family heirloom. We all make some version of it. New brides in our family get the recipe and a large pasta bowl along with unsolicited and long-winded advice on how to make it. My niece Katie actually wrote a paper on it for school, following its history and its many versions through the family tree. This dish never appears at family gatherings since we all make it at home. But we often talk about how we make it and argue over whose version is best. Unlike the rest of my weight-conscious family, I use an entire pound of bacon, easily making mine the best — or the worst, depending on how you look at it.

Why call for delivery when you can make quick and fresh pizza in about half the time.

Spelt is an ancient grain grown throughout Europe and North America. It has a nutty flavour, and is a great alternative for anyone who has a wheat allergy. Most grocery stores carry it. However, you can substitute the spelt for regular wheat flour, if you prefer.

Instead of pizza, roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Then roll it up end to end to form a baguette. Bake according to the directions, and enjoy fresh bread with your dinner.