Shrimp

"Caribbean food has become a real favorite of mine," writes Cindy M. Wright of Tarzana, California. "I just love the flavors of this spicy cuisine. One of the best places in my area is Cha Cha Cha in Encino. I've enjoyed everything I've had there, but I especially like the shrimp and rice dish called camarones negros."

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"On a recent visit to Charleston, South Carolina, I was greatly taken with the grits served at the restaurant Slightly North of Broad, on East Bay Street," says Charles C. Gordon of Ontario, Canada. "Is it possible to get the recipe?"

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr Created at de Jonghe's restaurant in Chicago, this dish is a memorial to a time when we were afraid of garlic but not of butter. The amount of garlic in it was considered outrageously racy.

"I go to Spain frequently, and I've tried many kinds of paella there," says Bruce Cummings of Baltimore, Maryland. "Recently, though, I discovered an outstanding one right here in Baltimore, at Tio Pepe Restaurante."

We like these shrimp with corn on the cob, crusty bread, and a salad of summery greens. For dessert, offer a strawberry tart.

We recommend using a sturdy food mill (available at cookware stores) to help produce a thick stew base from simmered vegetables and fish. Alternatively, you can use a large heavy-duty mesh sieve to strain the seafood broth. Then push through enough fish and vegetables to make 13 cups of stew base. Serve cioppino with sourdough toasts.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

A lightly dressed salad of baby greens would complement this entrée nicely; serve rum-drizzled grilled pound cake slices afterward.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Bow tie-shaped pasta is mixed with Thai-flavored pesto sauce and tossed with cooked shrimp for a fast, colorful entrée.

The Scandinavian liquor aquavit adds unique flavor to this appetizer. Pour Champagne and chilled Alsace Riesling with the meal; offer lemonade with a touch of grenadine, too.

For a milder dish, use fewer Thai chiles and seed the serranos before mincing them. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

You can add some diced red bell pepper to give this full-flavored dish a splash of color.

Tarragon brings its distinctive flavor to this salad. Serve it alongside the strata.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.