Corn/6 recipes

Traditional fruitcake studded with dates, figs, candied citron, pecans, and brandy-soaked fruits becomes a family heirloom recipe worth making.

Moist chocolate cake with blended prunes, buttermilk, and cinnamon, finished with a rich cooked fudge frosting. Bake in a 13x9 pan or two 8-inch rounds.

Open-faced black bean nachos with spicy chorizo, melted Monterey Jack, and a smoky black bean pesto thickened with ham hock. Fried flour tortillas baked into crisp wedges. Loaded restaurant-style nachos.

Microwave peanut brittle: classic golden, glassy peanut brittle made entirely in the microwave in 10 minutes. No candy thermometer, no boiling pot, no fuss. Just sugar, syrup, peanuts, and patience.

Easy chicken and cornbread dressing casserole with cream of chicken and cream of celery soups. A simple, Southern-style one-dish comfort meal ready in an hour.

Dark rum balls made with crushed vanilla wafers, cocoa, nuts, and a generous pour of dark rum, rolled in powdered sugar. No-bake holiday cookie that improves with age in the tin.

Vegetarian black bean tart in a crispy olive oil cornmeal crust with cumin-spiced tofu filling and roasted garlic. A savory, rustic showstopper for dinner or brunch.

Mexican mince from Marguerite Patten combines ground beef with kidney beans, sweetcorn, tomatoes, and chili powder. A British wartime-era spin on chili served over rice or pasta.

Many recipes come out of the Caribbean that people either like or hate on first taste. This particular recipe is for a chowder that is excellent.

Prune cake is an old-fashioned Southern holiday spice cake with chopped prunes, pecans, buttermilk, and warm spices, soaked with a buttermilk-butter sauce. Three-day rest deepens flavor.

Hearty chicken and vegetable soup with curry powder, Granny Smith apple, corn, lima beans, and pasta shells. A whole stewing chicken simmered into a rich, warming broth that feeds a crowd.

Vegetarian Mexican pie with a spiced bean and corn filling sandwiched between layers of stovetop cornbread, baked until golden. A hearty, budget-friendly meatless main dish.

A chilled, crunchy gazpacho-style soup packed with black beans, corn, jicama, peppers, cucumber, and zucchini in tangy tomato juice. Low-fat, vegetarian, and loaded with fresh vegetables.

Hearty meal-in-one casserole layers seasoned ground turkey and tomatoes under potatoes, corn, lima beans, green peppers, and shredded cheddar. Vegetable-packed weeknight dinner that bakes in one dish.

Rich chocolate fudge cake with instant coffee and sour cream, topped with a glossy fudge nut glaze. A single-layer showstopper for holiday dessert tables.

Three-layer chocolate caramel bars with a fudgy brownie base, gooey pecan caramel topping, and a lacy semi-sweet chocolate drizzle. Makes 54 bars that store beautifully for 10 days. Think homemade turtle candy in cookie bar form.