Sun-Dried Tomato

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 20 min

This jam is perfect with roast chicken, pork, or lamb. It's also good with cheese and crackers. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Lisa Caiazza of Franklin Square, New York, writes, "At the Manhattan law office where I'm a legal secretary, it seems as though the phones are always ringing. And if it isn't the phones that have me occupied, then there are lots of documents that need my attention. By the time I get home from the city, I usually have only about 45 minutes to put together dinner for my husband, Angelo, and myself. Still, that's enough time to make something filling and delicious, like a salad and a hearty pasta or soup." A quick and flavorful pasta dish that's special enough for company.

Skillet-toasted fresh breadcrumbs tossed with Parmesan cheese add crunch to this terrific side dish.

Tapenade, a puree of olives and herbs that's enjoyed in France, gets a boost from tangy sun-dried tomatoes.

Beer gives a yeasty flavor to this quick bread made without yeast. Slices of the bread are good toasted or sandwiched around a filling of choice.

Prepare this one day ahead to allow the flavors to blend. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Here's a simple and versatile pesto: It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, and a spoonful of it enhances everything from soup to chili. Add three cups of diced cooked chicken to the pasta to make a satisfying main course that serves four.

Sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, capers and thyme add Mediterranean flavor to the fish.

Have your butcher order the veal breast, then ask him to bone, butterfly, and pound it, forming a rectangle that has the dimensions described in the recipe.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.