Bean and Legume

Gaze at rings on your left hand. Remember how, when you were single in New York and men made rude remarks to you on the street, you'd dream about the day your boyfriend would put an engagement ring on your finger. Those trips with your friend, Megan, to Tiffany's—how the diamonds sparkled under glass. And so, my friend, it comes to this: Orientalish pasta salad for the kabillionth time.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A robust mix of white beans and macaroni in a light tomato sauce, ready to serve in under 30 minutes.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

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. My husband and I emigrated from South Africa seven years ago. I am retired from preschool teaching, but I still keep busy by cooking for the family. A typical South African dinner is a barbecue with lots of grilled lamb chops and sausages."

Both easy and inexpensive, tuna-noodle casserole stretched proteins and carbohydrates to the limits and fed at least a generation of American kids very well. Canned tuna will never go away, but fresh tuna has joined it as a culinary staple, and it stars in this deconstructed version of the classic. All the elements that make tuna casserole so appealing and comforting are here, just slightly rearranged. And there’s no need to serve this on a cafeteria tray: It’s good enough for your best china.

This is an adaptation of the Cantonese classic. In China fried rice is seasoned with salt rather than soy sauce (which darkens the grains). However, a bit of soy sauce for extra flavor is nice.

The walnut oil adds a distinctive flavor here. You can substitute olive oil and just sprinkle toasted walnuts over each serving.

The test kitchen used wonton wrappers instead of homemade pasta to simplify this.

You may be curious about why we chose to include edamame (fresh soybeans), which are often associated with Asian cuisine, in this all-American succotash recipe. Soybeans are actually a patriotic legume: They're the second largest crop produced in this country. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 hr

This light and lovely main course comes from executive chef Jeff Tunks at the acclaimed DC Coast in Washington, D.C.

Begin with cups of chicken broth simmered briefly with slivers of lemongrass and accented with a dash of chili oil. Complement the stir-fry with rice pilaf. End with sliced mango and pineapple topped with green tea ice cream and toasted coconut.

Serve with: Mixed baby greens with shredded radishes in a citrus vinaigrette, and a sesame baguette.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min