Cilantro

Serve this flavorful roast with its rich mushroom gravy, the mashed potatoes here and sautéed carrots. A fruity Zinfandel would make a good wine choice.

The almonds and crisp green beans lend good crunch. For a light lunch, serve this with French bread and a fruit salad.

This is a great summer salad, perfect with all kinds of barbecue and grilled foods. It's also a wonderful way to brighten up a winter dinner of broiled chicken or beef.

Pomegranate seeds add crunch and tang to this fennel salsa, which makes a perfect accompaniment not only to these pork chops but also to lamb.

If you’d like to serve a sauce alongside, strain 1/4 cup of the cooled pickling liquid, and whisk it with 1 cup of mayonnaise. For ease, the shrimp are left unpeeled; if you peel them before cooking, leave the tails on.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Tracey Medeiros of Atlanta, Georgia, writes: "I'm a food stylist and recipe developer — and passionate about my job. It was a dream of mine to have a career in the culinary arts, but I didn't think that was possible. In college I was a political science major and considered going to law school. But soon after graduation I realized cooking was my true calling."

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

A Vietnamese-style salad that makes a refreshing accompaniment to any kind of barbecued meat.

This dip was inspired by a recipe for bissara, a garlicky purée from Egypt made from dried broad beans, in Claudia Roden's Mediterranean Cookery.

Serve with: A black bean salad and burger toppings like pepper Jack cheese, lettuce, and sour cream. Hamburger buns are optional. Dessert: Dulce de leche ice cream and sliced strawberries.

Fresh mint makes this starter all the more cooling. Use Haas avocados for the creamiest texture. What to drink: Throughout the meal, go with the classics — beer and Margaritas.

Look for chili-garlic sauce in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.