Linguine

This impressive main course is ideal for a healthful dinner party. Serve it with crusty country style bread to soak up the flavorful juices.

Imported from Italy early in the decade, sun-dried tomatoes seduced the nation. Two other obsessions were pasta and pesto. All those ingredients combine here in a dish that doesn’t age.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 35 min

Pasta with shellfish is an old Italian tradition. Have crusty bread on hand to serve.

From Ristorante Chianti, Geneva, Illinois.

Juli Tsuchiya-Waldron of Tokyo, Japan, writes: "I was born in California but moved to Tokyo with my family when I was 6 years old. Now I'm 19, and have started a small craft shop where I sell my handmade place mats and coasters. Cooking is my other creative outlet. When my mother is too busy to cook for the family, I enjoy coming up with dishes that are interesting and nutritious but still quick." To turn this salad into a main course, add cooked shrimp and more vegetables, such as slivered carrots and red cabbage.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The juices from the clams combine with spicy Asian flavors to make a great pasta sauce.

Offer a salad of snow peas and sliced radishes in a ginger vinaigrette. End with oranges and almond cookies. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This parsley-based pesto is a nice alternative to the classic basil one--and it's especially handy for December, when there might not be fresh basil at the market. The recipe yields about 1 1/3 cups of sauce.

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.

Usually clam sauce is loaded with cream and butter. Here, only a touch is needed in a lighter version of an old favorite.

A simple dish from the Cottage Inn, Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Perfect before grilled fish or roast chicken.

Though Rose Pascale always uses fresh octopus (sold as pulpo in many Latino markets), we found that it's generally sold frozen. You may need to special-order or reserve octopus from your local fish market several days ahead.

Dried udon noodles are found in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets; if unavailable, use linguine instead.