Weeknight Meals

In January, we published a classic mole poblano that takes 3 1/2 hours to make — but a respectable version of the revered dish can also be had in much less time.

Hearty ingredients load this quick Italian dinner with spicy, cheesy flavor.

Joseph Gomes, chef at Bombay Talkie in New York City, sprinkles this dish with classic Indian seasonings.

Maneet Chauhan, chef at Vermilion in Chicago, uses nonfat yogurt to reduce calories but not taste.

Why not rabbit for Thanksgiving? The combination of a tangy mustard spread and an herbed-panko crust give the meat intense flavor, while keeping it ultramoist. And a cooking time of less than 30 minutes allows extra time for relaxing and socializing with your guests.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Ted Allen's The Food You Want to Eat. For Allen's tips on throwing a Thanksgiving party, click here. Mashed potatoes really serve primarily as a silky, textural vehicle for butter, cream, and salt, in my view. Cauliflower does an excellent job as well — and considering all the other carb sources on your table today, there's no harm in a whipped white dish that contains few of them. Steaming works better than boiling for this purée because boiling leaches flavor out of the cauliflower. You can get a big pot with a steamer insert anywhere for about $20.00. But go ahead and boil if you need to; just use less liquid to thin the purée. (The cauliflower will have absorbed a lot of water in boiling.) There's no law that says you can't purée other quick-cooking vegetables as well; imagine whirled peas, as the Phish fans used to exhort on their Volvo bumpers. The bright green color looks fantastic on a plate.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Ted Allen's The Food You Want to Eat. For Allen's tips on throwing a Thanksgiving party, click here. This is another long-cooking method for cooking beans, not for the crisp-vegetable crowd. The shallots get very sweet with roasting. Add a squeeze of lemon or a little vinegar if you like, or toss in some chopped thyme.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Ted Allen's The Food You Want to Eat. For Allen's tips on throwing a Thanksgiving party, click here. A simple, terrific fall or winter side dish.

Editor's note: The recipe below originally appeared in One Potato, Two Potato by Roy Finamore with Molly Stevens. It was reprinted, along with the introductory text included here, in The 150 Best American Recipes by Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens. __ Probably the most frustrating part of preparing Thanksgiving dinner is the last-minute potato mashing and gravy making. If you have this recipe in your arsenal, you can knock off the mashed potatoes 2 days ahead and have them sitting pretty in the refrigerator, ready for a last-minute heating. But that's not the only time you need these potatoes; they're also great for a buffet or for any crowd. These luxurious mashed potatoes have a couple of other virtues, too. They're light and fluffy because they're whipped with an electric mixer, and they're incredibly luscious because they have sour cream and butter, plus cream cheese to give them a little edge. __

In this very simple recipe, the spices, mint, garlic, and oil form a crust that helps seal in the lamb's juices. Sautéed carrots and roasted potatoes would be nice on the side.

The chive butter is a breeze to make, and it works overtime: First it's used to baste the shrimp, later it becomes the sauce.

A beautiful bright orange, this soup has the sweetness of carrots and the aromatic nuttiness of caraway.

Hearty and full of flavor, these open-face egg sandwiches (large crostini) are even great for dinner.