Weeknight Meals
Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Zucchini, Roasted Red Pepper, and Goat Cheese
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Sweet Corn and Basmati Rice Salad
A Dijon mustard vinaigrette brings all the flavors together. If you can't find basmati rice, white long-grain rice is fine.
Spinach Salad with Apples, Avocado, and Bacon
"My wife loves spinach salad, so one night I developed this recipe just for her," writes Jeff Edmunds of Yankton, South Dakota. "The crunchy apple slices and creamy avocado lend terrific texture and flavor."
Add grilled chicken to this salad to make a main course.
Sushi Rice
Use this for the Springtime Sushi Nests or for any sushi recipe.
Sausage and Bell Pepper Ziti
Serve this zesty pasta with a salad of tossed winter greens sprinkled with shaved Parmesan or Asiago cheese, and a basket of seeded country Italian bread. Finish with orange sorbet and chocolate biscotti.
Italian Chicken with Mushroom-and-Wine Sauce
Italian Chicken with Mushroom-and-Wine Sauce The Creamy Polenta with Parmesan is a nice accompaniment to the chicken.
Garam Sauteed Shrimp and Zucchini with Spiced Rice
This dish features garam masala, a flavorful blend of roasted and ground spices used in Indian cuisine and now available in the spice section of most supermarkets. Accompany the shrimp with bottled tomato chutney or fruit chutney and a basket of warm flatbread. A mango smoothie with a plate of coconut macaroons is the perfect dessert.
Chicken, Arugula and Red Bell Pepper Sandwiches
You would never guess by tasting these robust sandwiches that they are low in fat and calories. The secret is spread made of low-fat mayonnaise, nonfat yogurt, Dijon mustard and chopped arugula.
Rotelle with Mushroom Sauce
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Brie and Parmesan Polenta
Saint André, a French triple-cream cheese, would also be nice here instead of Brie.
Caesar Salad
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Juan Diego Michel's Cheese-Stuffed Poblanos
This recipe for chiles en macedonia combines ingredients from three states—Jalisco, Colima, and Michoacan. It came from the late Juan Diego Michel, who taught in Billy Cross's schools in Napa Valley and PuertoVallarta. The dish was a favorite of the Michel family in Jalisco, where, in his younger days, Juan Diego had his own restaurant and used the recipes from 200 years ago that had been passed down to him. To Cross, he was a Mexican-cooking mentor.
Chicory and White Bean Soup
Chicory, a bitter leaf most commonly used in salads, mellows as it cooks.