Poultry

Chris Gavenda, Wildwood, Mo.
For those of you who may not know, the tortilla chips form a crispy crust on the bottom of the casserole.

Serve this rustic dish with French bread or rice to savor every last drop.

"Five years ago, I threw my first dinner party," writes Kristin McGill of Chicago, Illinois. "It was a memorable night with good friends, great food and lots of wine. That night, cooking became my passion. And despite all of the effort, I still love to throw parties. My husband, Henry, and I host get-togethers once or twice a month. I do most of the preparation — admittedly that's because I enjoy cooking so much that I prefer to have the kitchen to myself. But I have to confess that since I started sharing the counter space, I've discovered we make a great team." For an elegant luncheon or dinner-party presentation, spoon each serving of this main-course salad into individual bowl-size radicchio leaves.

Cooking chicken breasts on the bone keeps them exceptionally juicy.

"Not long ago I dined at the Cobalt Tavern in San Francisco's North Beach," writes Georgia Ewing of Edina, Minnesota. "The sage-roasted chicken by chef Guy Ferri was excellent. Any chance he'd share the recipe?"

The mustard flavor in the arugula accentuates the mustard on the chicken. Serve the chicken with the orange, radish, and olive salad .

Serve with: A black bean salad and burger toppings like pepper Jack cheese, lettuce, and sour cream. Hamburger buns are optional. Dessert: Dulce de leche ice cream and sliced strawberries.

Look for chili-garlic sauce in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.

The long noodles in this soup — representing longevity — are meant to be slurped up. In Chinese culture, cutting them would symbolize cutting one's life short. This recipe requires a whole chicken for its rich broth and makes double the quantity necessary. Reserve 1/2 cup stock for the Broccoli Spears in Garlic Sauce and freeze the remainder. After setting aside the breast meat for the soup, save the rest of the chicken for another dish. The reserved cilantro leaves can be used for the Steamed Striped Bass with Ginger and Scallions. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 3 3/4 hr

Serve a dry Riesling to complement the subtle ginger flavor of the roasted chicken.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A healthful version of meatloaf that doesn't sacrifice taste for a lower fat content. Put leftovers on onion rolls with lettuce and tomato for a great sandwich treat.

With just two ingredients, this has to be one of the simplest-not to mention tastiest-recipes ever devised.