Sun-Dried Tomato

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Crusty Italian bread and mixed greens with a red wine vinaigrette are good with the pasta. Afterward, put out big strawberries and bowls of mascarpone cheese (or sour cream) and brown sugar for dipping.

This dip is great with crudités or crackers, on sandwiches, or with cold meats. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 20 min

Elisa Mazzaferro-Rosenberg of Fort Collins, Colorado, writes: "I love to entertain, but between coming home late — I just completed my Ph.D. in small animal clinical sciences — and feeding my husband, Adam, and myself plus our little family of five cats and two dogs, I haven't had the time to have friends over much."

Chef Laurent Manrique is a big fan of Laura Chenel goat cheese in Sonoma, which is available at many cheese shops across the country.

Regular button mushrooms are a nice substitute for the portobellos in this side dish.

This relish is best at room temperature. Note that the nutritional numbers following the recipe are for the relish only.