Rutabaga

Root vegetables are always for sale at the Central Market in Lancaster, but are especially nice this time of year. Rutabagas have a distinctive bitterness that makes them good with rich meats like pork. Tamed by the onions and honey, these rutabagas are a terrific side dish.

This mixture of vegetables is subtly flavored with apple juice and wine.

This wintry soup can be enhanced with any sausage you like. We find it a great dish in which to use the lowfat turkey sausages now available. The blue cheese corn bread and a green salad make ideal accompaniments. Finish with ripe pears.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Makes use of the microwave oven.

Using such a tender cut of beef reduces the stew's cooking time.

Nice with grilled or roasted meat, fish or fowl.

For a simple dinner, present this flavorful soup with some warm crusty bread and a mixed green salad.

We prefer Gorgonzola, Italy's star blue cheese, for this recipe, but if Iowa's Maytag blue — or another import — is easier to find in your area, then use it instead.

From the Temple House in Ballymote, Ireland.

A warming and filling main-course soup.

Beer acts as a tenderizer in this pot roast and adds a savory note to a sauce that complements the sweetness of the root vegetables.