30 Minutes or Less

Look for diced potatoes with onion in the supermarket's refrigerated deli case or in the freezer section. Pair the main course with sautéed spinach, coleslaw, good mustard and dark bread. A pint of ale adds gusto; apple pie is the finishing touch.

Be sure to brush the grill clean while it's hot before adding the fruit.

(Batido) This milk shake is a Puerto Rican and Cuban favorite; Palacio de Los Jugos on Flagler Street in Miami specializes in jugos and makes great tropical-fruit batidos. The fruit combinations are endless — try a mixture of strawberry and kiwi or guava and pineapple — and you can even use coconut milk instead of whole and spike with a shot of rum.

Here's a real treat for the lunch box. Adding dried cherries and chocolate chips turns classic oatmeal cookies into something new.

This dish is named after the copper Portuguese cooking vessel, the cataplana, in which it is traditionally cooked.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Purchased tabbouleh spooned onto whole romaine lettuce leaves is ideal with these Mediterranean-inspired sandwiches. Follow with baklava and fresh grapes.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A sophisticated and easy-to-make salad.

Boiling the vinegar concentrates and sweetens it, so the dressing doesn't require as much oil to balance the acid. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

While it is especially good with the meat loaf, this vegetable will also do wonders for chicken or roast beef.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.