Rice & Grains

A beautiful, colorful and delicious appetizer. Open a bottle of Sangiovese with dinner.

Tlacoyos con Queso de Cabra Traditionally these rustic cakes are made with a mashed bean filling. The goat cheese called for here adds a contemporary twist.

We tested this recipe with both stone-ground and regular "old-fashioned" grits; we liked the stone-ground best here because of its pronounced corn flavor and appealing texture. If you already have the "old-fashioned" type on hand, it's a fine substitute. Simply follow our procedure and disregard the cooking instructions on the package.

This soft polenta is good topped with parmesan and fresh thyme and rosemary.

The clever topping is made with a cake mix.

Making risotto is often thought to be an ordeal of stirring, but it really only takes about 20 minutes. In actuality, it's an easy dish, especially when it's the main course.

Garlic bread is perfect on the side. You can find Creole or Cajun seasoning in the spice section of most supermarkets.

This recipe combines the best of two classic New Orleans dishes — gumbo and jambalaya.

"For as long as I can remember, every Christmas Eve I've hosted an open house with a Mexican buffet," writes Jill Cole of Fallbrook, California. "Any suggestion of varying the meal is met with cries of protest from family and friends. I set out guacamole, salsa, homemade tamales, and what has become my famous albóndigas soup." Be sure to put out hot sauce for those who like extra heat.

Lobster and truffle oil give this dish the true stamp of indulgence.

<p>This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.</p> <p>This recipe is a super way to use up leftover white rice from Chinese takeout�or substitute <epi:recipeLink id"100911">Long-grain Rice</epi:recipeLink>.

Italian risotto, traditionally served as an appetizer, makes a great vegetarian meal when served with a salad. In this recipe, butter and cream have been replaced with a flavorful mushroom broth. Porcini mushrooms and Arborio rice are available at Italian markets, specialty food stores and some supermarkets.

Memelas are similar to chalupas and sopes. Pinching up the edges and creating tiny bumps in the centers helps keep the filling in place, which becomes important when the memelas are large.

Quinoa, though technically a seed in the herb category, has traditionally been considered a valuable member of the grain family. A sacred source of strength for the ancient Incas, it is enjoying as a new popularity here in the United States. The secret of the success of this salad is the steaming of the quinoa. (The traditonal cooking method for quinoa, boiling it in a measured amount of water, does not produce the light, fluffy texture that works so well in a salad.) This dish provides a complete protein and can stand alone as a luncheon or light supper entrée.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.