Parmesan

The microwave makes this dish a snap to prepare.

Easy to make and satisfying.

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

This reduced-fat version hits all the flavor notes of the original Caeser.

This recipe originally accompanied Rib-Eye Steaks with Roasted Red Peppers a Balsamic Vinegar .

"Once a week, I go to the farmers' market in Santa Monica and purchase fresh produce, including a variety of wild mushrooms," say Vilma Rozansky of Los Angeles, California. "I developed this risotto recipe around their earthy flavors. The dish can be a satisfying starter or a meatless entré e." Vilma uses mushroom broth, but we substituted vegetable broth because it's more widely available.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

On a weekday, accompany this main course with breadsticks and marinated vegetables from the deli. Wrap up with grapes and cookies. For a festive occasion, start with an antipasto of olives and roasted vegetables, then serve an arugula, radicchio and toasted walnut salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette. Finish with an Italian fruit crostata.

This dish, which pairs the sunny flavors of Provence with the comfort of mashed potatoes, makes a nice accompaniment to grilled meat, poultry, or fish.

Rick Rodgers, cookbook author and teacher, says, "I've always thought of mashed potatoes as an everyday way to serve potatoes, but scalloped potatoes really say special occasion to me. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter—they all call for scalloped potatoes, not something as humble as mashed. And since I've never been one for bland food, I kept fiddling with the amount and types of cheeses until I got this full-flavored version. If you like it with turkey, wait until you try it with the Easter ham."

Eating your spinach (and radicchio) has never been more pleasant.

The crostini — toasted baguette slices topped with tomatoes and Parmesan — are a delicious accompaniment to the simple chick. Uncork a bottle of sparkling wine for a special touch.

This recipe originally accompanied Lemon-Sage Cornish Game Hens with Tomato-Porcini Sauce. If you can get it, use stone-ground cornmeal; it's grainier than regular cornmeal and gives the dish a slightly crackly texture.