Starter

For entertaining I usually prefer dishes that can be made ahead of time, but I make an exception for this one. It does need to be assembled at the last minute; but when you want something particularly beautiful to start a small dinner party, it’s worth the extra effort. The flavor of mint really shines through and the colors are stunning together, especially if you use a mix of heirloom tomato varieties.

This vegetable-rich entrée is a breeze to make with prepared polenta.

Mushrooms and chiles are covered with cheese that’s been fired with jalapeño, then wrapped in a warm tortilla to make a rich and creamy—and slightly messy—Tex-Mex treat.

Crisp, crunchy romaine leaves enclose warm chicken and brown rice for an Asian entrée that you’ll want to add to your go-to list.

Golden hominy, which has the aroma and flavor of corn tortillas, is one of the highlights of this zesty stew.

The aroma of this dish will attract your family to the table. Serve the colorful entrée over rice—perhaps topped with a dollop of fat-free sour cream—so you can enjoy every bit of the sauce.

This recipe is a great example of how to prepare a classic French dinner in minutes and in only one pan.

To vary this flavorful dish, serve the sauce over another kind of pasta or brown rice.

Here’s a warm version of the popular French salade niçoise. Très bien!

Feta cheese lends a little pungent punch and complements the sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes in this colorful entrée for five or side dish for a crowd.

Roasting vegetables usually takes 45 minutes or longer. The technique we use here takes only 15 minutes, yet provides excellent slow-roasted flavor. For a change, omit the pasta and serve the vegetables as a side dish.

Rosemary and two kinds of pepper ramp up the flavor of this tempting, inexpensive entrée.

With its Old World flavors and tempting aroma, this versatile dish is a big hit at potluck suppers. Depending on whether you use the main recipe or one of the variations, you can create an entrée, a one-dish meal, or a side dish from the same basic ingredients

Pita bread is the perfect starter for a healthful thin-crust pizza. Then use the toppings listed here or substitute other vegetables, such as broccoli, artichokes, and spinach. It’s as much fun to put the pizzas together as it is to eat them.

No kneading or rising time is required for this mushroom-based pizza. Place it on a bed of arugula and watercress flavored with a feta dressing, and serve as they do in Europe—with a knife and fork.