Rib Roast

"During my first trip west of the Mississippi, I had dinner at an extraordinary restaurant called The Fort, in Morrison, Colorado," says Marcia Walsh of Westford, Massachusetts. "I enjoyed both the ambience and the food, especially the rib roast." The vegetable-herb coating gives the roast extra flavor. This is an easy holiday entrée.

If you aren't a restaurant chef or caterer, you probably don’t want to cook a 40-pound round roast, which is what most Buffalo chefs use. But a nice eye of round, 4 to 6 pounds, works fine.

Start with a platter of smoked salmon drizzled with olive oil and garnished with chopped chives and lemon wedges. Pour an Australian Shiraz to go with the roast, and serve sautéed teardrop tomatoes and the sweet potato puree . Top it all off with fresh raspberries and mango splashed with Sauternes.