Carrot

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In this simplified version of raclette, one of Switzerland's classic dishes, Swiss cheese replaces raclette cheese, and the cheese is melted in individual portions instead of being scraped from a large wheel as it melts. This dish makes a terrific appetizer, or it can be served with a green salad.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Gah Yan Tsui writes, via gourmet.com: "I recently enjoyed a delicious lunch at Aquavit in New York City. Marcus Samuelsson makes an incredible mussel and carrot soup. Would it be possible to acquire the recipe?" This soup tastes much better when made with fresh carrot juice. If you don't have a juicer, you can get some at your nearest natural foods store. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

Boiling away the butter and seasonings from the leftover vegetables allows the flavors of the marinade to shine through. (If you don't have any leftover veggies, simply steam a mix of your favorites.)

Brining ensures moist, succulent meat, and this recipe from Bruce Aidells, chef and founder of Aidells Sausage Company, could not be easier or more low-tech. The special equipment required? Two 30-gallon plastic bags and one very large (16-quart) bowl that will fit in the fridge. You'll want to get started a day ahead, because the turkey is brined for 18 to 20 hours. Stuffing this turkey is not recommended; the brine remaining in the meat may soak into the stuffing during roasting.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

"I recently had lunch at Café Boulud here in New York," says Shelli Rafkin of New York, New York. "My entrée, blanquette de veau, had the most incredible sauce I've ever tasted. The whole dish, in fact, was sensational." In this variation on the classic stew, the veal and the vegetables are cooked separately and combined at the end, when they're topped with a rich white sauce.

These vegetables would complement not only lamb chops but roast chicken as well.

Serve this dish with brown rice.

Apples bring a mild sweetness to this rich soup, which can be made a day ahead.

This slaw would pair nicely with grilled chicken breasts or roasted chicken.

"My husband and I celebrated my fiftieth birthday on the island of St. John, where we enjoyed many terrific meals," says Eileen Hruby of Tom's River, NJ. "One day, we had lunch at Pusser's Ltd. in Cruz Bay. The coleslaw they served was extraordinary: cool and hot at the same time. I have no idea how it was made." Serrano chilies give this dish a real kick; the lime juice makes it refreshing.