[Photographs: Elizabeth Barbone] I think of tarts the same way I think of sandwiches: you can fill them with almost anything and they taste great. And just as a good sandwich requires good bread, a tart needs a good crust....
t's a uber creamy cheesecake, probably the creamiest I've ever had, so when you fold the caramelized bananas into the cheesecake batter, then bake in a water bath, it comes pretty close to a smooth, creamy banana pudding texture.
Tortillas replace lasagna noodles in this beefy casserole with a south-of-the-border twist. With salsa, enchilada sauce, chilies, cheese and refried beans, it's a fiesta of flavors.
Not just for cowboys, packaged dried beef makes a wonderful starter for this dip, with smoky adobo chiles, toasted pecans, and melted Monterey Jack cheese.
Notes: For deeper mushroom flavor, stir hot mushroom slices sautéed in butter (see Note below) into the pasta, or spoon them over the top as a garnish. PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes.
This healthy spinach mushroom pasta dish is a popular choice for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike. Hearty whole-wheat pasta is quite filling, and a full pound of sliced mushrooms makes this dinner truly satisfying.
Vietnamese rice paper wrappers (also called báhn tráng) are easy to work with once you’ve moistened one or two and gotten a feel for how they soften up. You can also serve these wraps as appetizers by slicing them in half on the bias and serving them standing pointy-end up.