Bon Appétit

This meatless dish can do double duty as a main course or a side dish.

Try this with grilled lamb chops, pork, or chicken.

These simple tartes aux pommes are great with vanilla ice cream. What to drink: Barton & Guestier 1999 Sauternes "Tradition."

Top this decadent dessert from Pastis in New York with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, if you like.

Steve Silverman of South Burlington, Vermont, writes: "In my cooking I tend to be very quick and health-conscious. During the summer, my wife, Mary, and I usually grill chicken or fish and make salads. I'll use whatever fresh vegetables and ingredients I have on hand and come up with a wonderful meal for the two of us." Serve this party appetizer with the toasted-baguette rounds or your favorite crackers. You can also double the tomato topping for a great pasta salad.

A new version of the crab classic, this shrimp salad is great for lunch or dinner. Serve it with artisanal breads like walnut, olive or roasted garlic; then complete the meal with angel food cake, whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

Freezing the steak for about 30 minutes makes it much easier to slice; using a grill pan is the simplest way to cook the slices.

This simple side dish is even easier to prepare if you roast the beets the day before you plan to serve them.

Using a salad spinner makes short work of washing fresh spinach, which usually requires several changes of water. Start by filling the spinner bowl with water. Then fill the basket with spinach, submerge it in the water, and stir the spinach to release dirt. Lift the basket out and repeat with fresh water.

Guava and papaya nectars and cream of coconut enhance this spin on the Margarita served at Café Iguana in Denver, Colorado.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This new version of spaghetti and meatballs still goes well with the usual accompaniments: green salad, crusty garlic bread and some red wine. End with spumoni ice cream.

Try over frozen yogurt, ice cream, pound cake, or serve with your favorite cookies.

You can make the salad with roast chicken if you prefer. Offer purchased sesame noodles as an accompaniment. For dessert, serve sugared sliced plums, topped with vanilla ice cream and chopped crystallized ginger. Look for the Thai fish sauce in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.

Light, refreshing and beautiful.

This recipe yields an extra cake layer that can be reserved for another time. Wrap it tightly in foil, and freeze it for up to a month. Keeping the cake wrapped, defrost it at room temperature; then serve it with berries and whipped cream or ice cream.