Weeknight Meals

"When I fled Greece during World War II and eventually relocated to Los Angeles, I brought with me the traditions of my home," writes Rebecca Levy. "A lot of these traditions have to do with food, and since sharing my heritage has always been important to me, I often make favorites from my homeland for friends and family. In addition, cooking for community events and teaching classes on Sephardic cuisine keep my schedule full." Pair this dish with rice pilaf or noodles.

This quick, casual recipe endows beef burgers with the flavors of a great pizza.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 25 min

This combination of white beans, tomatoes, and cipolline is exceptionally delicious. Letting your tomatoes cook to the point where they become caramelized and start to fall apart adds sweetness and a layer of deep flavor to the dish. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 9 1/4 hr (includes soaking)

If you aren't counting calories, add some crushed baked corn tortillas to this soup just before serving.

Serve this lowfat dip with healthy dippers, such as Armenian cracker bread, sliced red bell pepper, carrot sticks and cauliflower and broccoli florets.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For an interesting presentation, set out bowls of some traditional condiments, like chopped peanuts, toasted coconut, raisins and chopped bell pepper.

New England has a large Portuguese population. Their numbers are most concentrated in Massachusetts fishing centers, such as New Bedford, Glouchester and Providencetown, where they've had an important influence on the cuisine. One of their specialties is fried scallops, Portuguese-style--a sauté of bay scallops in butter with garlic and parsley. We've elaborated on the basic dish by adding shrimp, mushrooms, green onions and a white wine sauce. Serve it over rice, and offer buttered peas or broccoli on the side.

Almost any type of seafood, meat, or vegetable is superb cooked in a sambal, the fiery spice mixture that is a mainstay of Malay cooking. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An old-fashioned and versatile dish. Serve it over split hot biscuits (or toasted English muffins) for brunch or over egg noodles for a comforting simple dinner.