Potato

Reduce oven gridlock with this fantastic stove-top side. (The garlic can be roasted in the oven a day in advance.)

"Cooking with friends — that's pretty much what my life has been about," writes Louise Pickerel of Muskogee, Oklahoma. "When I moved here from Texas ten years ago, it was hard to leave the people I'd known for so long, but I've probably met two hundred new people since then. I have always entertained, but now that I'm retired, I finally have more time to play bridge and cook." Louise likes to serve this chunky soup with ham or roast beef sandwich wraps.

For a Fourth of July theme, top these bluish purple potatoes with salmon or red lumpfish roe. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 35 min

(Cream of Carrot Soup with Ginger) Hot carrot soup in your belly at night feels good and soothing... Sweet dreams!

A delicious and much lighter version of a favorite dish. Serve this gratin with roast chicken, pork, or beef.

"I have a 'stragglers Thanksgiving' — that's what I call it — at my house every year," writes Frances Teasley of North Hollywood, California. "I know a lot of people who, like me, don't have any family nearby. Thirteen years ago I started inviting a few people for dinner. And that small holiday gathering has become a big tradition among my friends. For weekday meals, I look for shortcuts and do-aheads. But for holiday meals, I like to do everything the same day because I love the smell of cooking that fills the house."

This soup stands on its own as a main course when paired with a green salad and some crusty bread.

Do not use a dark aluminum baking pan (including nonstick) for this recipe because the potatoes will burn. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Puréeing the corn with low-fat milk gives the soup a creamy texture. Serve it as a starter or as a light main course with a green salad and crusty bread.

A hearty soup that's a snap to prepare.

A great dish from Dalvay By The Sea.

To clean leeks, trim off 3 inches of the green and then slice them in half lengthwise. Run under cold water to remove sand, then continue with the recipe.

Lombo di Maiale Ripieno di Mortadella con Patate Arrosto This dish was inspired by a truffled mortadella we tasted in Rome. Good-quality mortadella can be found at butcher shops, at Italian markets, and even in the deli section of many supermarkets. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

You can make this potato cake right before grilling steaks, then reheat it on a baking sheet in the 450°F oven while the steaks rest.

The pickled cucumbers are also great on their own as a condiment for tuna-salad sandwiches.

These crusty potatoes go well with the tuna in tomato sauce .

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.