Rice & Grains

"I literally didn't know how to boil an egg until I was in my 20s — when I tried to impress a guy by making dinner for him," writes Sally Siegel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "I didn't have much success with the dinner or the guy, but I regrouped and put together a repertoire of fairly elegant dishes I felt confident making. Over the years, my cooking style has become more casual; I make dishes that are not too demanding, but still special for company."

A colorful one-dish meal with lots of flavor. If you like things spicy, use the larger amount of cayenne pepper.

A rich side dish for pork or lamb chops.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe is used to prepared Grilled Lemongrass Beef and Noodle Salad. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In addition to being great with milk at breakfast time, this is nice sprinkled over yogurt, fruit or ice cream, or baked into your favorite granola cookies or bars.

Start this romantic supper with Russian caviar and ice-cold lemon vodka. The main course is a simplified but impressive interpretation of the Russian fish pie known as kulebiaka, which the French call coulibiac. Offer Champagne with the entrée, and finish the meal with babas au rhum from a French bakery to complete the cross-European elegance.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This Indian-inspired salad can also be served warm as a side dish.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Popular in the Italian kitchen for eons, risotto and wild mushrooms were embraced in the nineties by American home cooks and restaurant chefs alike. Offer this delicious version as a starter or a main course.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

A crisp is one of the easiest desserts that a nonbaker can make.