Onion

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

To begin, offer a bowl of brine-cured green and black olives, another of marinated artichoke hearts, and some pâté and toast. The cassoulet needs only red wine and a loaf of good French bread as accompaniments. A pear or apple tart would add an appropriate French country flourish.

Adding lemon peel shortly before the rice has finished cooking gives it a bright flavor.

This is one of my mother's recipes and call me biased, but it's the best around. This is a vegetarian black bean soup, and one of the keys to its success is the quality of the olive oil: use the very best you can find. You can make the soup a day in advance and it will taste even better the next day. This is a no-fail recipe that I know you're going to enjoy.

If you're planning to use the leftovers to make the fried rice with pork and kale , reserve 3/4 cup of this sautéed kale.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 4 1/2 hr

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 45 min

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. The pickles add crunch and tangy flavor to an old-time favorite.

"Many of the everyday dishes I made when I was raising my daughters are recipes I learned from my mother while I was growing up in the suburbs of Paris," writes Fanny Carroll of Eugene, Oregon. "She was quite a cook, and with a husband and seven kids to feed, everything had to be fast. She's the one who invented the recipe for the quick pizza. It's nice that the dishes I learned as a girl are enduring favorites in my own family. The quick pizza now spans three generations: My daughter Emily makes her own version of it today." France meets Italy in this clever dish that uses a ready-made crust.

Serve with: Mesclun salad with an herb vinaigrette and sliced semolina bread. Dessert: Vanilla ice cream sprinkled with crushed amaretti cookies (Italian macaroons) and drizzled with Kahlúa.

Tina Thompson of Orlando, Florida, writes: "Because entertaining is a great joy for me, many of my dishes are party-friendly and easy to prepare. It's not uncommon to find me hosting impromptu gatherings for friends during the workweek so that I can try out new creations. As my recipe box grows, so do my fond memories." A nice addition to the holiday table. Serve with soup or salad, or even with drinks as an hors d'oeuvre.

Hold the mayo: This rustic side dish is dressed with a Provence-inspired blend of white wine, Dijon mustard and capers. Be sure the potatoes are still warm when you add them to the dressing; they’ll absorb it better, enhancing the flavor of the dish.

These Asian-inspired lamb shanks are wrapped and baked in individual foil packets, then placed atop bowls of steamed rice. Serve with stir-fried bok choy or other Chinese greens. What to drink: Asian lager beer or a fruity red Zinfandel.

Serve with: Warmed tortillas and steamed, buttered summer squash. Dessert: Key lime pie from the bakery.

On a recent trip to California, Susan Livingston of Marblehead, MA had a caramelized garlic and onion bisque at the Edna Valley Bistro in San Luis Obispo. It was so unique and outstanding that she made a point of complimenting the chef, Herbert Norton. Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Though egg drop soup is not traditionally made with noodles, we love the texture and substance they add.