Bon Appétit

The pesto works well as a sauce for pasta, chicken, or fish, too.

The chicken needs to marinate for at least four hours (or overnight), so be sure to start in advance. What to drink: Crisp, full-bodied white wine like Chablis or unoaked Chardonnay from California.

Ann Gillespie of Alexandria, Virginia, writes: "Because I'm balancing graduate school and a family, I try to cook things that don't take a lot of time. But I love experimenting with ingredients, so most of my recipes are easy to make and use interesting flavor combinations. During the week, salads are our mainstay. When we get bored with veggies, we add different fruits, like the blueberries in the recipe here."

This fun, gooey treat makes a great after-school snack. The marshmallows are slightly charred and the bread is cleverly caramelized for double the toasty flavor.

Because the blackberry coulis flavors the glaze for this dark chocolate cake, it should be made ahead of the cake.

This take on curried deviled eggs has a more authentic Indian flavor, thanks to the inclusion of mango chutney and garam masala (an aromatic spice blend used in South Asian cooking).

Ann Gillespie of Alexandria, Virginia, writes: "Because I'm balancing graduate school and a family, I try to cook things that don't take a lot of time. But I love experimenting with ingredients, so most of my recipes are easy to make and use interesting flavor combinations. This pasta dish is reminiscent of what my husband and I would cook when we were first married."

If you can find them, large, bright pink watermelon radishes will look and taste great here.

These little appetizer pizzas are perfect finger food.

Serve this hearty side dish with a pork or lamb roast.

Ann Gillespie of Alexandria, Virginia, writes: "Because I'm balancing graduate school and a family, I try to cook things that don't take a lot of time. But I love experimenting with ingredients, so most of my recipes are easy to make and use interesting flavor combinations. The olives and cinnamon in this stew give it a nice Moroccan flavor. This dish balances sweet and savory with tangy Kalamata olives and golden raisins.

Improv: Skip the maple syrup and chopped ginger and add a couple of teaspoons of fresh lime juice.

This dip is also delicious with thin baguette slices, toast, crackers, or tortilla chips.

Baker's sugar, a favorite of pastry chefs, is also called superfine sugar. It measures the same as regular but dissolves more quickly. It's available at some supermarkets. You can also make your own by whizzing granulated sugar in a food processor until powdery. Medjools are the most prized of all dates, and their firm, meaty texture is perfect for this recipe.

Improv: Try mussels instead of clams; substitute basil for the parsley.

Fresh, peppery arugula pairs nicely with the Steamed Clams with Pasta.