Amy Finley

Serve grilled bread alongside the tuna. Be sure to buy domestic albacore to keep the mercury to a minimum.

For a healthier alternative to french fries, try this baked version.

Also great made with ground lamb.

Use small heirloom tomatoes in assorted colors for a pretty presentation.

Depending on the flavors and types of tea your kids like, feel free to experiment.

This is a traditional Tuscan method—bricks weigh down the butterflied chicken, resulting in even, quick cooking and crispy skin (you'll need two bricks for this recipe; wrap them in foil). If you don't have bricks, a cast-iron skillet will do the trick. Ask your butcher to butterfly the chicken for you.

This salsa comes together quickly (and can be made two days ahead). If you're pressed for time, there are several good prepared tomatillo salsas on the market. Extra salsa will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week. Mix with sour cream for a vegetable dip, or add to chicken soup and garnish with strips of fried tortillas.

You'll need a slow cooker for this recipe (a necessity for any busy cook).

Crispy, golden slices of garlic add a nice crunch and nutty flavor (picky eaters can have their pasta without or easily eat around it).

Orange slices add a juicy, sweet touch to this simple salad, which is made even easier by drizzling the lettuce with oil and vinegar (rather than making a proper vinaigrette).

Roasting broccoli brings out its earthy sweetness, and sprinkling it with cheese will guarantee that the kids clean their plates.

The chicken calls for oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes from a jar, and this dip cleverly makes use of some of that oil.