Bon Appétit

Using roast chicken from the grocery store makes this recipe super-easy. Improv: Add sweet and crunchy accents by mixing a few chopped toasted pecans and some dried cranberries into the chicken salad. Instead of rolls, use crusty French bread or thick slices of sourdough bread.

Charlotte Fekete of Athens, Georgia writes: "I'm a junior in college, and I'm planning to go to cooking school after graduation. I've already had some experience decorating cakes and working for a caterer, but it was my mom who taught me how to cook. I've also learned a lot from reading magazines and cookbooks." Charlotte's mother learned this recipe years ago, when she was working on a shrimp boat.

Self-crowned "BBQ Queens" Karen Adler and Judith Fertig have written more than 20 cookbooks between the two of them, including Weeknight Grilling with the BBQ Queens. Their tuna burger is infused with Mediterranean flavor and topped with a favorite New Orleans sauce.

For a more substantial meal, the salad can be served on pumpernickel bread or toasted French bread as an open-face sandwich and topped with slices of hard-boiled egg. Garnish with lemon wedges and dill sprigs.

Charlotte Fekete of Athens, Georgia writes: "I'm a junior in college, and I'm planning to go to cooking school after graduation. I've already had some experience decorating cakes and working for a caterer, but it was my mom who taught me how to cook. I've also learned a lot from reading magazines and cookbooks." Marinating the vegetables gives them a lively pickled flavor.

Improv: Substitute chopped red or yellow bell peppers for the tomatoes in the salad; try basil instead of cilantro in the dressing.

Serve this creamy, chilled soup as a refreshing first course.

Susan Elizabeth Fallon of Boxford, Massachusetts writes: "I love to create new recipes to share with my husband, nine-year-old son, and friends. For me, that's the fun and adventure of cooking. I believe that eating well means using fresh, high-quality ingredients, so I'm choosy about what I buy and I grow many of my own herbs." Lemon sugar and fresh berries make these muffins special.

Charlotte Fekete of Athens, Georgia writes: "I'm a junior in college, and I'm planning to go to cooking school after graduation. I've already had some experience decorating cakes and working for a caterer, but it was my mom who taught me how to cook. I've also learned a lot from reading magazines and cookbooks."
Serve on its own for breakfast or with a scoop of sorbet or ice cream for dessert.

Chiffon Pie, with its light, billowy filling, can't help but bring to mind the sheer, silky fabric it's named for. Soft, mousse-like lemon filling; crunchy, gingery crust — a super combo.

This dessert is easy and indulgent.

Crisp toppings may vary as to how much sugar, butter, oats, nuts, and flour they contain, but one thing's for sure: All have a crumbly topping that crisps up during baking.

Buckles are aptly named: Fruit is baked along with a layer of cake batter that rises to the top, buckling as it cooks. Don't skimp on the garnish: Vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream is great with this.

Why "soda jerk"? Because two kinds of pop lend the right dose of sweetness.

A butter baste makes the zucchini so amazingly full-flavored that you can even omit the cheese — although it's a delicious accent to the lemony zing.

Fish sauce lends a tantalizing Asian twist to the butter sauce here, and makes simple grilled corn into something altogether new.

Big, thick slices of sweet onion get a quick glaze.