Weeknight Meals

The deep hollow created by emptying the bread is filled with lots of goodies, and this becomes a deep-dish pizza.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Good as the centerpiece of a meatless meal.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. French fries and purchased ratatouille are perfect with the steaks, and almond cake with fruit compote completes the menu.

It took me quite a while to remember a meal I used to loathe. You see, I was a kid who ate pickled herring and pig's feet with her dad. But my mom reminded me of the utter disdain with which I would greet the following meal, named for my brother's best friend, Eric Gisolfi. Eric has always been a hearty eater, but a picky one. This was one dish he never complained about. So, whenever he joined us for dinner I felt conflicted — fantastically happy that a new playmate would be joining us and absolutely devastated that I had to endure the ground meat and elbow macaroni so cherished by our guest. Try it out to see the mixed reviews you receive.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Start with vegetable sticks and dip from the supermarket. Warm tortillas and a plate of sliced red onion, orange and avocado are nice sides. To end, sprinkle rum and brown sugar over fresh pineapple chunks. Look for the coconut milk in the Asian foods section of the grocery store.

This recipe can be made in 45 minutes or less.

This is a delicate onion soup, a nice change from the heartier types which are so well known.

Basil is one of the favorite ingredients of the Italian region of Liguria, and there is no place in the world where it is more fragrant or put to such delicious use. It's the basis of the classic Genoese sauce, pesto, in which it is partnered with garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses. It shows up most typically floating atop minestrone, drizzled over potato gnocchi, or - as here - tossed with trenette (the local ribbon pasta), potatoes and green beans.