Weeknight Meals

Using pre-tenderized steak (labeled "cube steak" at the meat counter) makes this bistro-style dish extra succulent. Serve with: Hash browns and steamed broccoli. Dessert: Warm apple pie.

Serve this dish with French bread to get all the delicious sauce.

If you have leftover roast chicken or turkey, use it here and save a step. You'll need 3 cups of shredded meat.

Mimosa in Los Angeles uses coconut milk in this version of a Breton classic.

"This is one of my favorite pastas," Lisa Bonacossi said, citing its simplicity. "it is made with lemons, pine nuts, and oil that everyone has on hand." The flavors are simple and brilliant. The sauce is best served with fresh tagliatelle. I serve it with lemon wedges too for those who like to squeeze a bit of fresh juice over the pasta. Serve this with a well-chilled Pinot Grigio for a nice, bright combination.

A favorite steak-dinner starter served at Cattlemen's Steakhouse in the historic Stockyards City area of Oklahoma City.

Thanks to precooked bacon and enhanced bottled dressing, this salad is a snap. For dessert, go all out with brownies à la mode.

An elegant main course from Xaviar’s restaurant in Garrison. Ask the butcher to bone the lamb for you.

Offer a small salad of baby greens with a shallot and tarragon vinaigrette.

Shop for smaller parsnips, which are more tender.

"Can you obtain the recipe for littleneck clams from Antonio's Restaurant in New Bedford?" writes Michelle Dooley of Hanover, Massachusetts. "I read about the restaurant in your magazine, and now that I've been there, I'd like to try my hand at preparing this dish." Serve these clams with crusty bread and a salad to round out the meal.

This Cambodian curry is traditionally made with beef, but Mao Sokhen says his American friends prefer the chicken variation. Though you can use any brand of Thai red curry paste and Asian fish sauce for this recipe, Mao likes the brands recommended below because he finds they produce a dish that is closer to classic Cambodian flavor.

The simple, delicious and versatile ginger sauce would also be terrific with shrimp. Look for rice vinegar in the Asian foods section of the supermarket. Serve the scallops with crusty bread or rice.

Serve with: Steamed new potatoes and mixed green salad with a citrus vinaigrette. Dessert: A lemon tart from the bakery.

Serve these mussels with a frisée salad dressed with red wine vinaigrette. Add french fries, plus a baguette for sopping up the sauce. Lemon tart would be good for dessert. See how to clean mussels.

Tomatoes and bell pepper also give color and flavor to this impressive side dish.

Green chilies and cilantro add some zip to this main course.