Weeknight Meals

Serve with: French fries or potato chips, and steamed broccoli.

Juli Tsuchiya-Waldron of Tokyo, Japan, writes: "I was born in California but moved to Tokyo with my family when I was 6 years old. Now I'm 19, and have started a small craft shop where I sell my handmade place mats and coasters. Cooking is my other creative outlet. When my mother is too busy to cook for the family, I enjoy coming up with dishes that are interesting and nutritious but still quick." Serve the pork over steamed white rice.

Regular mozzarella can be substituted for the smoked variety in this quick and easy dish.

The oversize croutons add a nice crunch to this warming dish, which is a cross between a soup and a stew. Serve with: Romaine salad with sliced oranges, black olives, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Mark Taylor of West Hartford, Connecticut, writes: "I started cooking out of necessity when I first graduated from college, since I couldn't afford to eat out. Having grown up watching my mother cook for our large family, I used her recipes. She was always trying new dishes whenever we had guests and sharing her adventurous attitude toward eating. These days, even though my wife and I both work, we still cook several times a week. Now I tend to rely on recipes I've picked up from restaurants and friends. I enjoy experimenting with different ingredients and figuring out new ways to improve a recipe, as I've done with the one here."

Note that part of the honey-mustard sauce is also used as the marinade.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"At the Manhattan law office where I'm a legal secretary, it seems as though the phones are always ringing," writes Lisa Caiazzo of Franklin Square, New York. "And if it isn't the phones that have me occupied, then there are lots of documents that need my attention. By the time I get home from the city, I usually have only about 45 minutes to put together dinner for my husband, Angelo, and myself. Still, that's enough time to make something filling and delicious, like a salad and a hearty pasta or soup. My best cooking, though, is done on Sundays during the fall and winter, when I become a football widow. An afternoon of cooking can be very therapeutic after a busy week." Any mixture of vegetables you have on hand would make a great filling. Serve the wraps with purchased salsa and sour cream.

Lisa Caiazza of Franklin Square, New York, writes, "At the Manhattan law office where I'm a legal secretary, it seems as though the phones are always ringing. And if it isn't the phones that have me occupied, then there are lots of documents that need my attention. By the time I get home from the city, I usually have only about 45 minutes to put together dinner for my husband, Angelo, and myself. Still, that's enough time to make something filling and delicious, like a salad and a hearty pasta or soup." A quick and flavorful pasta dish that's special enough for company.

This American variation of a Chinese stir-fry—combined with a loaf of crusty bread—is a meal in itself.

"I love to go out for Indian and Thai food, but my attempts to re-create the dishes at home never turned out very well," says Juliet Hardesty of Bloomington, Indiana. "It wasn’t until I began experimenting with curry paste and ginger that I realized having the right ingredients makes all the difference. This single-dish chicken dinner blends some of my favorite flavors."

To round out this menu, serve roasted squash, corn muffins and boiled green beans with orange zest. End with vanilla ice cream topped with warm chestnuts in syrup.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cooking the fish en papillote, in parchment paper or foil, keeps it moist.