Cheese

The slightly sweet, almost flowery flavor of marjoram adds a delicate note to this Middle Eastern—inspired salad, though oregano is also fine. To be sure the eggplant is tender, slice into it before taking it off the grill—when properly done, it will be moist all the way through.

Mushrooms in general are great for grilling, and portabellas—which not only have a wonderful, earthy flavor but are also large enough to be easy to handle on the grill—are perhaps the best of all.

Pat: Broccoli in cornbread—who knew? But sometimes you need to go to great lengths, and be very crafty, to get your kids to eat more vegetables. The result in this instance is a moist, incredibly satisfying cornbread that gets added richness from both cottage and cheddar cheese. We call for frozen broccoli, which makes this recipe easy enough to whip together in the time it takes your oven to preheat. (You can also use 2 1/2 cups of fresh steamed broccoli.)

An amazing mix of textures and flavors—nutty, sweet, salty, plus a touch of heat from the peppercorns.

Eggs are always a go-to ingredient for the quick cook. Here, they're used in a quiche-like southwestern tart.Round out the meal with a romaine salad or a cup of gazpacho.

The egg-dipped ham sandwiches are even better with Spanish ingredients: salty Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, and sweet membrillo (quince paste), which is available at some supermarkets, at specialty foods stores, and from igourmet.com.

The famous Argentine herb sauce is thinned out with a little more olive oil and vinegar to make a bright herbal dressing for the salad. Instead of a big rib eye, this recipe calls for flank steak, a thin cut that's ideal when you're pressed for time.

Cheesy with a shortbread-like texture, these biscuits are addictive and would pair nicely with beer.

Grilling the pizza dough adds a smoky flavor to the crust.

If the poblanos aren't hot enough, add some chopped jalapeños to the salsa verde. Garnish enchiladas with fresh avocado slices and drizzle with crema mexicana (a nutty cultured cream available at some supermarkets and at Latin markets) or stirred sour cream if crema is unavailable.

Later in the summer, you can use eggplant in place of the portobellos.

Supermarket roast chicken can be easily dressed up, as in this lovely salad. Look for almond oil at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

This salad is served with crostini topped with artichoke pesto instead of croutons.

Don't be tempted to buy precrumbled goat cheese, despite the time savings—it won't melt as well.

This dish requires just four ingredients (aside from oil, salt, and pepper). Serve with an arugula salad.

This luxurious treat is somewhere between a trifle, a tiramisù, and a summer pudding. The lime gives it a wonderful brightness.

Ensalada de Nopales Do not be afraid of this salad. Nopales (cactus leaves) are quite delicious and may remind you of green beans or okra. In fact, you could make this salad with green beans perfectly well. But do try the nopales if you never have—you may discover a new favorite vegetable. You will find canned nopales at Latino markets, but fresh ones are much better.

This hearty dish averages about $2 per serving. It's ideal for breakfast or brunch (accompanied by a salad).

This recipe calls for aged Sherry (instead of vinegar), which gives the dressing an added kick.

One 16-ounce container of ricotta is enough for this recipe and leftovers.