Farfalle

Cara Brunetti Hillyard of Hamilton, Virginia, writes: "I come from a long line of great cooks. My father owns an Italian market in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where my mother gets a lot of the ingredients she uses in her wonderful dishes. My mother-in-law is a recipe developer, and I've been known to sit next to my great-aunt Stella with a pen and paper as she details her amazing recipes. I live far from home now, but I reconnect with my family traditions every evening when I make dinner."

Add more color to this dish by using a mix of red, yellow, and orange tomatoes.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This salad's delicious dressing is popular with my children as a dip for vegetables (I make a bottle of it to keep in the refrigerator). The salad is great for lunch boxes, or as a side dish served warm or cold. Use three-color pasta, if possible. Preparation: 10 minutes/Cooking: 12 minutes Nutritional information: Rich source of beta-carotene, fiber, and folic acid

(FARFALLE CON ZUCCHINI) This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Roasting the tomatoes concentrates their sweetness. What to drink: A dry Italian white, such as Pinot Grigio or Soave.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Crisp broccoli and a creamy blue cheese dressing give new life to pasta salad.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Pick up a rotisserie chicken at the market, or use leftovers to keep the preparation easy.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The crisp Rosemary Toasts taste great dunked into this flavorful soup. To serve on the side, toss arugula with sliced red onions and basalmic vinaigrette, then top the salad with shavings of Parmesan cheese. For dessert, keep it simple with ripe pears and amaretti (almond cookies).

Toasted baguette slices and some baby greens tossed with marinated artichoke hearts are a wonderful accompaniment to the pasta. (For extra flavor, you can spread the baguette slices with olive paste before servings.) Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.