Monterey Jack

These sophisticated crab quesadillas need only six minutes of stove time. Citrus, green onions and Monterey Jack cheese provide delicate flavor; when teamed with a salad, the quesadillas make a light and lovely meal. Pour a dry Gewürztraminer, and finish with melon accented with fresh mint.

Use a cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet to make this recipe. Serve the bubbling cheese right from the pan, and partner the whole meal with icy Margaritas.

Moist, with subtle heat from the chipotles.

A quick appetizer or light main course.

Here's a new take on calabacitas, a traditional Mexican side dish with zucchini, onions and peppers.

A cross between spoon bread and tamale pie, this flavorful, colorful side dish is a huge crowd-pleaser. Assemble it at least one hour and up to one day before baking.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This pie uses pizza toppings as a filling. Serve it with a tossed green salad.

Brian Polcyn of the Five Lakes Grill in Milford, Michigan, has updated this Mexican favorite by oven-roasting the stuffed chilies rather than coating them with batter and frying them. The chilies are presented on a bed of rich-tasting caramelized onions.

Even lean, mean depression-era macaroni and cheese was comforting, a tribute to the twin powers of carbohydrates and melted cheese, which are just as irresistible now as they were then. Some fans love the crunchy crust while others crave the creamy center. This lush and ultra-tangy millennium mac and cheese aims to please adherents of both schools of thought.

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 45 min

I came up with this recipe one day when I was boiling a big old hen for chicken soup and had plenty of meat left over, but if you don't care to fool with that, the casserole can easily be made with a nicely roasted chicken picked up in a deli or supermarket.

These quesadillas are cooked on the grill. Serve them with salsa and sour cream.

Active time: 3 hr Start to finish: 4 hr

You can also make these with chicken, ham or roast pork.