Cast Iron Skillet

Cremini mushrooms or their mature form, portobellos—or both—can be used in this side dish from Cory Schreiber's new cookbook, Wildwood: Cooking from the Source in the Pacific Northwest (Ten Speed Press).

Jody Adams makes this dish in a 14-inch cast-iron skillet with a lid, but since that size is rare in home kitchens, we've adapted the recipe for a roasting pan.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The following recipe uses whole chicken breasts with the "tenders" (fillet strips) still attached. Because some supermarkets remove the tenders and sell them separately, it is best to buy your chicken from a butcher. All is not lost, however, if you use chicken without the tenders ­ simply stuff the chicken breasts with basil and wrap with bacon as described below.

"Pané" comes from the French verb "paner," meaning to coat with bread crumbs.

The following recipe is made with an electric blender, because it is so quick. If you do not have one, gradually blend the egg yolks into the flour with a wooded spoon, beat in the liquids by droplets, then strain through a fine sieve. Crêpe batter should be made at least 2 hours before it is to be used; this allows the flour particles to expand in the liquid and insures a tender, light, thin crêpe. The first crêpe is a trial one to test out the consistency of your batter, the exact amount you need for the pan, and the heat.

For a delicious, quick accompaniment try our Creamy Parmesan Polenta .

Serve with: Baked potatoes and sautéed zucchini. Dessert: Dulce de leche ice cream with toasted almonds.

This moist spoon bread (a pudding-like bread made with cornmeal) tastes best warm.

A tangy feta and yogurt sauce is the perfect foil for these fresh-tasting latkes. They make a nice starter for a party of ten.

Grilled steak with late summer corn and a squeeze of lime juice. Sound wonderful? It is. Grilled potato wedges make a terrific side.

A grill pan is just the thing for cooking the chicken and zucchini in this recipe.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. No oil is needed to sauté these steaks—the juices from the meat mix with the salt to form a delicious crusty coating that prevents them from sticking to the pan.