Pasta & Noodles

(Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Shrimp) Paad Thai, with its signature fettuccine-width rice noodles, is available in myriad variations throughout Thailand. In its country of origin the dish is often made with dried shrimp; for a milder flavor fresh shrimp is specified here.

Marie G. Beltran of Seattle, Washington, writes: "The signature dish at Blue Onion Bistro here in Seattle is a rich, velvety macaroni made with blue cheese. The restaurant, which is housed in a former corner gas station, is both nostalgic and comforting, just like the delicious dish. Is there any way you could persuade chef Scott Simpson to divulge the recipe?" For blue-cheese lovers only. For best results, use Maytag or a Danish blue cheese.

Shullie Neumark of Rancho Palos Verdes, California, writes: "I like cooking but I'm a little bit impatient, which is why I make dishes that can be done ahead of time — and quickly. I hate being rushed before meals, especially when guests are on their way over. Those guests are usually good friends or members of our large family. Often I'll prepare some of the Russian and Lithuanian recipes passed down from my relatives." Shullie's lighter take on the classic dish features tomato sauce instead of sour cream.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Find the dried mushrooms in the produce section of the supermarket. Breadsticks and a radicchio salad with crumbled goat cheese and lemon vinaigrette round out the meal. End with poached apricots and honey cookies.

From Daniel Boulud and Alex Lee, the former executive chef at Daniel in New York.

This main-course soup is called pho in Vietnam, where it is eaten at any time of day.

Soba noodles can be found in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.

Papas con Fideos This recipe is from Delia Marcus, who was taught how to feed her Gypsy husband properly by her mother-in-law. Marcus founded flamencarte.com, a referral service for flamenco-oriented visits to Seville.

Buckwheat noodles give this classic spring pasta dish a nifty twist. Uncork your favorite Chardonnay.

Bean thread noodles (also known as cellophane noodles) come in varying widths. For this recipe we like the wider (1/4-inch) noodles.

A green salad completes the meal. What to drink: A riserva Chianti.

This saucy noodle recipe gets its crunch from fiery, garlicky toasted cashews.

The summer salad stalwart gets a makeover.

Matcha tints this refreshing noodle dish a delightful green hue—and imparts its characteristic grassy flavor.

An elegant, satisfying dinner in under 30 minutes.