Substitution: For a hit of vegetables and a change of pace, use pumpkin or butternut-squash ravioli instead of cheese-filled. You can also replace the walnuts with pecans or almonds.

Cornmeal adds crunch, and mashed sweet potatoes lend creaminess to this weekend favorite. Yellow- or white-fleshed sweet potatoes have a dry and crumbly texture when baked and are not moist enough to make tender pancakes, so use the orange variety. For convenience, roast a sweet potato the night before. Serve with maple syrup, butter, and fresh fruit, if desired.
6 servings (serving size: 2 pancakes)

Prep: 10 minutes, Stand: 10 minutes, Cook: 6 minutes per batch.
Makes about 10 pancakes

These pancakes go best with our Vanilla-Maple Syrup. You can use 3/4 cup mashed winter squash instead of the sweet potatoes, if desired.
6 servings (serving size: 2 pancakes and 1 teaspoon pecans)

Makes about 20 pancakes; 5 to 6 servings
Notes: For consistency, cooks at Marston’s in Pasadena, California, prefer canned Maine blueberries in syrup; we like fresh blueberries in their batter too. Serve these pancakes with butter and warm maple syrup.

If your market sells hazelnuts with the skins removed, you can skip Steps 1 and 2, and just finely chop the nuts.
6 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)

Prepare a batch of this smoky-sweet mix to have on hand when visitors drop by. Or pack them into handsome jars to give as gifts.
2 1/2 cups (serving size: 2 tablespoons)

Prep: 10 min., cook: 5 min., Bake: 22 min. These sweet and crunchy nuts are scrumptious when paired with a creamy Brie or Camembert or sprinkled over salad. They freeze beautifully in a zip-top plastic freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Makes about 2 cups

Notes: Purchase a roast chicken from a deli; a 2-pound bird produces about 3 cups shredded meat. You can make the chicken-chipotle mixture (step 1) up to 2 days ahead; cool, cover, and chill. Use cold; bake nachos in a 425° oven for 6 to 8 minutes. You can make the crema up to 2 hours ahead; cover and chill.