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Prolific cookbook author James McNair has been chief judge of Sutter Home Winery's burger cook-off since it began in Napa in 1990. One of his books, Build a Better Burger, includes every winning recipe. Some past winners — and McNair's Louisiana roots — inspired the burger here.

Chicken fatigue? Turkey cutlets require little cooking time and provide a tender platform for a deliciously garlicky sauce with toasted almonds.

If you like, drizzle amaretto or balsamic vinegar over the grilled peaches just before serving.

Clafouti is a rustic, simple French dessert that's a cross between a pancake and a custard. You can use other fruits, but cherries are traditional — and this is the month they're at their best.

Greek cuisine is famed for its appetizer dips — no meze party would be complete without at least one.

Galatopita, or milk pie, has a crisp phyllo crust and a dense, satisfying custard filling made with semolina flour. It is among the dairy specialties of Epirus and Thessaly; we like this version from Ioannina.

Packed with peanuts and spiked with Thai curry paste, this chunky sauce nearly explodes with flavor and spice. Placed near the chicken satés or the crab-and-pork spring rolls, a bowl of it will quickly disappear.

You can make this superfresh-tasting version of the Chinese takeout classic yourself.

If you can't find golden raspberries, simply substitute more red raspberries.

Though they're the kind of thing you tell yourself you're making for kids, the way these sweet and slightly salty cookies go a little chewy when they absorb the ice cream will definitely inspire mature palates as well. This recipe is also delightfully devoid of fuss; you simply make one big sandwich and then cut it into small pieces.

This recipe originally accompanied bobotie. Before we learned to make our own chutney from ingredients as diverse as apricots, dates, quinces and raisins, blatjang was imported from Java, made from sun-dried prawns and shrimps, which were pounded with a wooden pestle and mortar; and shaped into masses resembling large cheeses. Blatjang is the pride of Cape Malay-cuisine, and the recipe is one of the oldest around. The name comes from one of the constituents of the Javanese sambal blachang. Early food writer; C Louis Leipoldt, described it as 'bitingly spicy, pungently aromatic, moderately smooth and a very intimately mixed association of ingredients.' There is nothing quite like blatjang to add zest to curries or braaied meat. Adjust the amount of chilli to suit your preference. Blatjang may be stored for up to a year; but refrigerate once the bottle has been opened.

Unlike many store-bought granolas, this luxurious blend of oats, green pumpkin seeds, and exotic dried fruit is preservative-free and not overly sweet. Sprinkle it on yogurt, pancakes, or waffles—or simply enjoy eating it out of hand.

Who can resist rich chocolate with roasted pecans and butter-rum caramel? Melting the chocolate in stages insures that it will set. If you wish, the alcohol can be omitted.

We are happy to announce that Marla Orenstein has won our February 2006 "Cook the Cover" contest with her delicious variation on our Chocolate-Glazed Hazelnut Mousse Cake. Marla Orenstein explains her variation:
To me, this rich, heavy chocolate dessert is enhanced with the addition of a complementary tart or sour taste. In this recipe, I have added a new layer—a reduction of sour cherry jam mixed with balsamic vinegar and brandy—between the chocolate shortbread and the chocolate mousse. I find the taste of the whole cake to be more complex and enjoyable as a result.

We are happy to announce that Nicholas Leighton has won our January 2006 "Cook the Cover" contest with his delicious variation on our Butterscotch Chiffon Pie. Nicholas Leighton explains his variation:
I loved the silky butterscotch chiffon pie on January's cover, but in our house we have a rule that every dessert must contain chocolate! You'll agree that the luscious butterscotch chiffon filling and tasty pecan topping is absolutely delicious with this bittersweet chocolate cookie crust, which rolls out like a dream and unmolds from a tart shell perfectly every time. The original recipe was great, but with a chocolate cookie crust it's sublime!

We are happy to announce that Megan Gill-Kopp has won our September Cook the Cover contest with her delicious recipe for Mexican Turtle Chocolate Mink. I have made some simple changes to create a Mexican twist to Gourmet's Chocolate Mink recipe. I have added cinnamon to the chocolate batter. In addition, I have topped the dessert with a Mexican caramel, cajeta, and toasted pecans. Living in San Diego has opened my eyes, and taste buds, to the wonderful flavors of Mexican cuisine. I couldn't help adding some of those flavors to this recipe. Editors' Note: Cajeta (goat's milk caramel) is available at many supermarkets, some Latino markets and specialty foods shops, and from amazon.com.

Editor's note: This recipe is from Michele Adams's and Gia Russo's book Wedding Showers: Ideas & Recipes for the Perfect Party. Our food stylist, Kimberly Huson, gave us her grandmother's recipe for these light and delicious cookies. They can be made ahead (up to five days in advance); package in miniature wooden boxes tied with ribbon as favors for your guests.