Weeknight Meals

I'd say this is one of the most perfect American appetizers for a group: warm and creamy, full of flavor, easy and spreadable. Toasted pita triangles and crisp toasts are my favorite choices to offer guests to slather this rich mixture on. No matter what you select, you'll probably find this recipe as versatile as I do.

In this baked version of shoestring potatoes, the texture of the fries varies — some are crisp and some soft, but all are delicious.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 hr

This hearty soup is served at Belvedere Mansion in Staatsburg, New York.

In Tucson, chef-owner Janos Wilder offers cumin-flavored rice pilaf and grilled zucchini with the fish. Flan is a good finale.

This Boston-area restaurant is dedicated to using locally grown organic produce.

"I came up with this recipe to make use of the immersion blender that I received as a gift," writes Heather Prudhon of Santa Clara, California. "It makes a good quantity of sauce and tastes great served over rice."

"Although I'm not usually a big fan of fish, I love the roasted salmon at the Saucebox here in Portland," writes Irin Haruchai of Portland, Oregon. "The sauce served with it is out of this world." Spicy sauces with sweet-and-sour flavors are popular in Javanese food and, in this case, pair deliciously with salmon.

I leave the skin on the breasts so I can stuff the herbs and garlic underneath.

What to drink: Sauvignon Blanc or a dry rosé, such as a French Bandol.

Serve with: Three-bean deli salad spooned over arugula. Dessert: Ice cream bars.

Quickly sautéed shrimp over rice is a very old, traditional breakfast in the Carolina Low Country. But it would also make a nice quick-and-easy luncheon or supper dish, rounded out with a salad and maybe cornbread.

A cold couscous salad and steamed carrots sprinkled with mint would be lovely alongside. Finish with baklava.

Accompany this with roasted red-skinned potatoes and steamed green beans. Finish with chocolate-glazed cream puffs.

"On Saturday mornings I like to go to the farmers' market near my house and buy whatever produce is at its peak," writes Justin Kulongowski of Portland, Maine. "One weekend I came home with all the ingredients to make this great salad."