Weeknight Meals

Anita serves this easy dish for brunch with a mixed-greens salad alongside.

Hot chili paste gives the rice its kick. The heat is balanced by the briny olives and the sweet raisins.

To give this salad more crunch, add blanched soybeans (edamame) or fried wonton strips.

Any plum-type tomato would work here. WHAT TO DRINK: A smooth red with good acidity, like the Marcarini 2004 "Ciabot Camerano" Barbera d'Alba, Italy ($18).

Ground lamb is a natural choice for a barbecue—its distinctive taste really stands up to the smoke of the grill. These burgers get an extra boost from charmoula, a North African spice mixture.

Food lovers on America's coasts have long known that crab cakes make wonderful sandwiches. Here, tender lumps of sweet crab are seasoned (in the manner of traditional Louisiana deviled crabs) and lightly bound with egg and bread crumbs, then panfried until the cakes have a golden crust. A thin layer of tangy tartar sauce and crisp lettuce is all the accompaniment they need.

Spicing up store-bought barbecue sauce with a touch of cayenne and a splash of vinegar is an easy trick that makes a big difference. Here, pork burgers get a triple hit of flavor: The sauce gets mixed into the meat, slathered onto the cooked burgers for the last minute of grilling, and brushed on the bun. A cabbage slaw with a creamy dressing tops them off with just the right crunch.

Think meatless has to mean boring? These delicious patties, made with earthy portabella mushrooms and hearty kasha, defy the bland reputation of vegetarian burgers. A fiery dollop of chipotle mayonnaise makes them even more irresistible.

With the exception of beef and cheese, there is no burger combination more revered than beef and bacon. Here, we've improved on a classic by putting crumbled pieces of cooked bacon in the middle of the burger. It adds unexpected bits of crisp texture and diffuses smoky flavor throughout the beef.

Food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez often cooks for hordes of children, including her three-year-old son, Alex, and she knows that meatballs are always an easy sell. Inspired by the tiny meatball sandwiches served at New York City's Little Owl restaurant, she came up with these kid-size treats that can be eaten with one hand (leaving the other one free to wreak kid-size havoc).

Korean hot-pepper paste gives this Asian-inspired dish not only heat but also full, deep flavor. Rich with umami, edamame and buckwheat noodles satisfy even the heartiest appetites.

Making a fresh-tasting Asian-American meal at home is easier than you think. If you don't have Sherry in the house, you can substitute Scotch.

Lamb shoulder chops are everything a cook wants: They're inexpensive and quick-cooking, yet they deliver more robust flavor than pricier rib chops.

Just what we want on a sultry evening—tender shrimp and creamy beans are the mouthwatering core of this cool salad sparked with a lemony vinaigrette.

This time of year, corn adds a little sunshine to everything it touches: Its sweetness really pops next to cheese tortelloni and the salty jolt of prosciutto.

A quick marinade brightens the steak, so it combines perfectly with the dish's Southeast Asian notes.