Saute

Gussy up some couscous with chopped olives and red onion, and offer carrot and jicama sticks for crunch. Fill phyllo tart shells (from your store's frozen foods section) with vanilla pudding and sliced bananas for dessert.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Here's a sweet-tart addition to your menu.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Miguel Ravago -- who is chef and co-owner of Fonda San Miguel in Austin, Texas -- specializes in authentic food from the interior regions of Mexico. This fajita-style dish was inspired by one of his creations.

Serve this 10-minute entrée with black bean and rice salad from the deli. Also put out a bowl of purchased fried plantain chips or root vegetable chips. Mango sorbet drizzled with rum is a fitting finale.

The sweet oranges and the smoky bacon in this salad balance the gentle bitterness of the radicchio; the pecans give the whole thing a nutty crunch.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe was created to accompany Beef Short Ribs Tagine with Honey-glazed Butternut Squash.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Bruschetta — a rustic Italian canapé — is the perfect vehicle for the robust flavors of late summer. Serve these topped toasts as a first course or, with a salad and a glass of wine, as a light supper.

If the crowd is larger than eight, make two frittatas and keep one warm. Served in wedges, frittatas are delicious hot, warm, or at room temperature.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.