Chorizo

Remember, you absolutely cannot make delicious fried rice using freshly cooked rice! If you cook the rice yourself (a day to a week ahead), buy long-grain (Carolina) rice and follow the package directions for making drier rice. Otherwise, use leftover Chinese take-out rice.

Serve these clams with some crusty bread for sopping up the sauce, or spoon them over linguine or rice.

This zesty, eye-opening casserole can be made with either pork or beef chorizo.

Tortillas form the crust of these layered pizzas, which are an irresistible hors d'oeuvre. Pour sangria throughout the party.

"On a recent visit to Charleston, South Carolina, I was greatly taken with the grits served at the restaurant Slightly North of Broad, on East Bay Street," says Charles C. Gordon of Ontario, Canada. "Is it possible to get the recipe?"

Mario Batali, star of the Food Network's Molto Mario, is one of the top chefs in New York City, where he owns three restaurants with Joe Bastianich — Babbo, Lupa and Esca. This dish, from Batali's book Simple Italian Food, is served at Lupa.

At La Porteña, an Argentine restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York, spicy chorizo sausage is used to give this frittata-style omelet its heat. If you can't find chorizo, hot Italian sausage makes a nice substitute.

The Masa Harina adds a pleasant flavor to the light and fluffy pancakes.

This custard makes a perfect one-dish brunch, lunch, or supper, especially when paired with a green salad. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Sausage and Potato Mini-Turnovers The dough for these little turnovers may be pressed either by hand or with a tortilla press.

This dish from Ciudad in Los Angeles was inspired by the flavors of Portuguese cooking.

Frances Driesbach, Maui, Hawaii
"This chili was inspired by Southern Calif., where I grew up. Red, green, and yellow peppers represent the Mexican fiesta."