Canned Tomato

A robust mix of white beans and macaroni in a light tomato sauce, ready to serve in under 30 minutes.

Add chopped jalapeños for some extra zip.

Broiling the eggplant gives it a delicious deep roasted flavor.

Serve these hearty meatballs over noodles or mashed potatoes.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 45 min

"On a trip to San Francisco, I had a terrific bowl of cioppino at Rose Pistola, star chef Reed Hearon's Italian restaurant," says Gail Haines of Westerly, Rhode Island.

Jamie Oliver calls this "another great pan-baked recipe that is perfect for coping with lots of people without a huge deal of effort." Oliver uses plaice, a popular flatfish in England favored over flounder, but lemon sole is a good substitute. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

In this dish, Elena Rovera prefers the clean, fruity flavor of Roero Arneis, a dry white wine from the Piedmont region of Italy. She typically serves the chicken with rosemary potatoes. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

To get you in the mood for summer we are grilling these pizzas, but if you aren't able to grill, you can cook them indoors in a grill pan instead.

"When I was staying at the Metropolitan Hotel in Toronto," writes Constance M. Shertzer of Indiana, Pennsylvania, "I discovered a fabulous restaurant there called Hemispheres Restaurant and Bistro. The pasta with mushrooms and tomato sauce was as good as any I've ever had in Italy."

New York Filipinos are sentimental about adobo — meat or fish with lots of garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar. We used cider vinegar to good effect, but authentic Filipino cuisine calls for coconut, palm, or sugarcane vinegar. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 40 min

Treat yourself to fresh clams for this recipe — they make all the difference. This dish originated in Rhode Island during the late 19th century, when, as story has it, Portuguese immigrants added tomatoes to their chowder. British New Englanders believed their creamy chowder to be superior and named the Portuguese version after Manhattan, presuming that New Yorkers were the only people crazy enough to add tomatoes.

The oversize croutons add a nice crunch to this warming dish, which is a cross between a soup and a stew. Serve with: Romaine salad with sliced oranges, black olives, and balsamic vinaigrette.

An old-fashioned pasta dish with a new-fashioned filling. Basil and chives accent the luscious ricotta and feta cheese stuffing in this comforting main course. Conclude supper with fruit and your favorite cookies.

If you're craving a comforting, old-fashioned chicken dish, this is it. Rendering the fat from the chicken skin gives the sauce its rich flavor.