Canned Tomato

Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 5 1/2 hr

Serve with: Mesclun salad with an herb vinaigrette and sliced semolina bread. Dessert: Vanilla ice cream sprinkled with crushed amaretti cookies (Italian macaroons) and drizzled with Kahlúa.

This is fantastic with coleslaw and warm biscuits. What to drink: A not-too-oaky domestic Chardonnay or a white Burgundy, such as one from France's St.-Véran region.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 45 min

This one-pot dish is delicious over couscous. What to drink: Wines with distinctive spice notes, such as Gewürztraminer or Syrah.

Piperade, a saucy tomato and pepper mixture from the Basque regions of France and Spain, is often paired with eggs.

"When I lived on Chesapeake Bay, I had access to the freshest seafood, and I still love cooking with it," writes Bobbi Claibourne of Tucson, Arizona. "Having promised to bring a dish to my in-laws' holiday dinner last year, I paired clams with sausage for this starter, which is now a new family favorite." Offer crusty bread with this to soak up some of the juices.

Make garlic-rubbed baguette toasts for mopping up the sauce. What to drink: Brut Champagne or a dry, aromatic white wine, like Viognier.

Arroz Rojo In Mexico, this popular rice dish is usually made with vine-ripened tomatoes. For best results, use good-quality canned tomatoes or, in the summer, shop for tomatoes at a farmers' market if you don't grow your own. Simple grilled meats or tomato-sauced main dishes pair perfectly with red rice.

"I had three kids in three years when I was a 'young married' in my twenties," writes Sheryl Hurd-House of Jupiter, Florida. "That's when I started cooking and realized I liked it."

North African spices combine with a touch of honey and lemon in a refreshing summer soup.

At Babbo in New York, chef Mario Batali serves this dish with freshly made pappardelle pasta. We've simplified the entrée for the home cook by substituting purchased fettuccine.

Albóndigas con Salsa de Tomate y Chile de Serrano This is served with traditional Mexican White Rice .

Microwaving the potatoes before baking helps cook them quickly, but the regular oven will produce a crispy skin. Have a mixed green salad garnished with Greek olives and roasted red peppers to start. End with vanilla custard and butter cookies.

Cid Prevost, Kansas City, Mo.
An ad director who collects cookbooks (last count: 300-plus), Cid grows 14 varieties of herbs in her garden: "For this chili, I use my own cilantro, basil and bay leaves."