Preheat oven to 375 °. Boil carrots in large sauce pan covered until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain carrots, reserving 1/2 cup boiling liquid. Place carrots in 2-quart baking dish. Whisk together reserved cooking liquid, mayonnaise, horseradish and salt. Pour over carrots. In a small bowl, stir together parsley, paprika, Parmesan, dried onion and cracker crumbs. Dot carrots with butter then sprinkle with crumb mixture. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings.

From the kitchen of Sandi Smith

Preheat oven to 375 °. Remove a thin layer of the fennel bulbs' tough exterior with a paring knife or sharp vegetable peeler. Cut the fennel crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil the fennel for 1 minute. Then put it in a bowl of cold water, drain and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly oil an oven-proof baking dish. Layer the fennel to a depth of 1 1/2 inches.

In a small bowl, stir together 3 Tbsp. olive oil, the fennel seed and garlic, smashed to a paste with a little salt, the pepper flakes and the chopped rosemary. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. of this mixture over the fennel. Sprinkle with the rosemary leaves. Cover with a layer of sliced or shredded mozzarella, then sprinkle with bread crumbs. Drizzle the remaining oil mixture, then sprinkle with Parmesan. (The dish may be prepared to this point several hours before baking, just cover and place in fridge.)

Bake uncovered, for 2 -25 minutes, until nicely browned. Garnish with the chopped parsley or a mixture of the parsley and fennel fronds.

In 1 quart sauce pan over low heat melt cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and 2% milk. Stir constantly to prevent scorching until thickened and bubbly. Stir in garlic salt and remove from heat. Stir in ham and corn. Transfer to 2 quart casserole dish and bake at 350° for one hour.