Sour Cream

Chihuahua, Cotija, and Mexican crema give the dish authentic flavor, but Monterey Jack, French feta, and sour cream are good substitutes.

Set out the sour cream, cheese, and corn, and let each person fix his own.

This savory dish is named for one of the streets in historical Charleston, South Carolina. Crookneck squash is a summer squash that is available year-round in certain regions. You can substitute zucchini or even a winter squash, such as butternut or acorn, depending on what’s in season in your area.

You can refrigerate the sauerbraten, covered, for up to 2 days. (In fact, the flavors develop nicely when the dish is made ahead of time.)

After the beef finishes cooking, let it stand at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before carving. Keep in mind it will continue to cook after it has been removed from the oven.

Let dressing sit overnight to meld flavors.

Use a store-bought roasted chicken to save time. To take this salad on a picnic, pack it in an airtight container and keep it fresh in a cooler.

These quesadillas, filled with mango chutney and cheese, can be assembled ahead of time and wrapped in plastic until ready to grill.

An Old World comfort dish without the work, these pork chops pair nicely with whole-grain noodles and steamed brussels sprouts.

Aïoli (ay-OH-lee), a mixture of garlic and mayonnaise, lends itself to a variety of interpretations. Here it gets a slightly sweet, slightly tangy lift from tarragon and Dijon mustard.

A mildly spicy, citrus-tinged sour cream sauce tops these baked salmon fillets. The ground chipotle adds just a hint of smokiness.

Sour cream replaces mayonnaise as the base for the tartar sauce here. Serve this fish with corn on the cob and chilled slices of melon on the side.

Fresh dillweed and parsley perk up this low-salt version of a classic.

Serve this easy sauce over fish, use it as a dip for raw vegetables, or spoon it over sliced cucumbers.

The right amount of mustard is a key ingredient for great potato salad. Since yellow mustard is usually high in sodium, this recipe calls for dry mustard instead.