Egg

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This classic Spanish egg-and-potato dish is similar to frittata. Team the tortilla with a green salad for a terrific brunch or lunch.

Here's a nice way to use up those leftover hard-boiled Easter eggs.

No African-American summer picnic, North or South, would be complete without deviled eggs wrapped in wax paper. I remember that, as a child, part of the fun was unwrapping the eggs and seeing if some of the savory yellow insides had managed to squeeze out onto the paper, in which case I was allowed to lick it off. Years later, I was very surprised to learn that deviled eggs are also a part of the general culinary history of the South. There are even plates especially designed for serving this delicacy. To me they'll always be part of summer fun-hard-cooked eggs taken to the nth power.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This quiche also makes a simple and delicious dinner served with a mixed green salad and some crusty bread.

This frittata-like preparation, called maakouda, can be made with meat, chicken, fish or vegetables. Served hot or cold, it is a standard Tunisian hors d'oeuvre, but is also great for brunch, lunch or supper. The eggplant is broiled, not fried, so it does not absorb a lot of oil.

Some like their scrambled eggs moist and some like them rather dry. The longer they cook, the drier they become. Either way, use low heat so the texture remains soft and creamy.

Offer with your favorite tossed green salad and some crusty bread.

Smoked salmon enhances this innovative version of a classic. Potato stands in for half of the yolks to cut fat and cholesterol.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Sautéed mushrooms and warm crusty rolls are excellent with the frittata. Finish with ripe pears, chocolate biscotti and espresso.

This dessert, called sciummette ("little sponges") in Liguria, is the Italian version of the French oeufs à la neige. One look at these fluffy ovals of meringue will tell you where the name comes from.

Jacqueline Willis of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, "Recently I had a superb chocolate soufflé at the Ercole Ristorante Italiano in Calgary. It was made with milk chocolate — a subtle but delicious variation. I would love to be able to re-create it for friends at home. " The restaurant calls this dessert a warm chocolate mousse, but it reminds us of soufflé. These may collapse quickly after coming out of the oven, so wait until each person has been served before topping with ice cream.

Although these are super-fast to make, you can assemble them the night before so that they're ready to bake in the morning.

"I have never had a better dessert than the sticky toffee pudding at Beginish Restaurant in Dingle, Ireland," writes Judith Gilbard of Forest Hills, New York. "I hadn’t heard of the restaurant before this visit, so I was pleased to stumble across such a find. Do you think the owners, John and Pat Moore, would share their recipe?" At the restaurant, this dessert is served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Hot-smoked fully cooked salmon is flaky in texture and fragrant with alder smoke. This dish can be completely assembled and chilled one day before baking.