Gourmet

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Using a pastry bag to pipe the hummus onto the pita toasts saved us a lot of time (and made for nice-looking hors d'oeuvres). You can make your own pastry bag with a heavy-duty plastic bag. Just spoon the hummus into the bag and squeeze it into one corner. Then snip off the corner to make a small hole and begin piping.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The peanut notes in this slaw remind us of the Indonesian skewered meat dish saté. As a result, we think grilled steak, shrimp, or pork would make a terrific main course as an alternative to the Hoisin Five-Spice Chicken Legs.

Our tuna salad has a Mediterranean twist: olives and roasted red peppers. Have this sandwich for lunch at home or work or on a picnic, served with a tomato salad. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

"I came upon this recipe several years ago in Mother's kitchen," writes Barbara Wilkerson of Talladega, Alabama. "It is now my own family's favorite holiday treat." Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 3 hr

If you're making these fries to go with the crispy oven-fried cod, bake the potatoes in the lower third of the oven and place the fish in the upper third after the potatoes have roasted for 20 minutes.

This salad is as versatile as it is delicious. We loved it with squid and with shrimp. Add a loaf of crusty bread, and you've got a complete meal. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Canned mangoes are excellent in this dessert if ripe fresh ones are unavailable. Use a drained (1-lb 14-oz) can of mango slices in syrup. If the canned fruits you buy are Alphonso mangoes (our favorite variety of mango), add an additional 1/2 cup cream.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

With months to go before the summer tomato season, we've found that slow-roasting brings out the flavor of winter plum tomatoes.