Tomato

Sugar snap peas, cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, parsley and mint combine with orzo pasta for a lovely warm-weather salad.

The recipe calls for one cup of cream, but the soup tastes equally delicious without it.

Red snapper is the fish of choice in Veracruz, Mexico, where this dish originated. The combination of the cinnamon, olives, capers, and peppers gives the sauce heat and depth. This is a quick, light dish, good with boiled potatoes and rice.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

At Woodside in West Los Angeles, owner Noel Ampel and executive chef Nigel Faulkner both believe in taking the freshest ingredients and combining them in simple, yet highly sophisticated ways. This pasta is a fine example of that philosophy. A basket of crusty warm rolls and a salad of mixed baby greens with a Sherry vinaigrette are great accompaniments. End with coffee gelato and chocolate-dipped biscotti. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve this saucy dish with steamed rice or crusty French bread.

Braising brings out the best in oxtails, the star of this long-simmered stew. It is garnished with bright green sugar snap peas for a contemporary touch.

Orzo--the small rice-shaped pasta used here--is available at Italian markets and most supermarkets.

The sauce is a recipe from Sue Ann's father. She uses it with purchased tortellini in this recipe, but she also pours it over chicken, which is then baked, for an instant cacciatore-style dish.

Ragoût de petits L
égumes au Parmesan et Vinaigre Balsamique Also nice as a meatless entrée—with some crusty French bread, of course.

"Dinner at the Montauk Seafood Grill was an ideal way to cap off a day of skiing in Vail," Julie Harris of Redwood City, California. "The salmon covered with an unusual breadcrumb coating is something I would like to make for a dinner party."