Rice & Grains

Begin this dish early in the day to allow the polenta to set.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cooking rhubarb to the right consistency is trickier than you might think — it changes from barely tender to falling apart in a matter of seconds. Watch it carefully while it's poaching. In this recipe you’ll need to boil the rhubarb syrup to the "soft-ball stage." To determine this, just drop a small amount of syrup into a cup of cold water. If you can form it into a sticky lump that flattens when pressed, it has reached the right consistency. This technique is especially useful with small amounts of syrup, from which it can be difficult to obtain an accurate temperature reading with a thermometer.

A quick and easy side dish that goes well with roast chicken, turkey or pork chops.

The twist here is that the praline is made with oats rather than nuts.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 50 min

Cornmeal may be either fine- or coarse-grained. Both work well in the following recipe; we used a fine-grained variety found in most supermarkets.

These muffins have the comforting flavor of graham crackers, with just a hint of cinnamon and sugar.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Although traditional Italian polenta is simmered for nearly an hour, resulting in a very creamy consistency, for the following recipe we preferred the more rustic texture of this quickly cooked version.

A versatile alternative to couscous, this is a summer starch that doesn't have to be served warm. If you have fresh or cooked leftover vegetables in the kitchen, toss them in to make a main-course salad. You can also play with the herbs to suit the dishes this will accompany.

This recipe was created to accompany Grilled Chicken Breasts with Spicy Yellow Pepper Purée . Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.