Starter

Mustard greens, increasingly common in supermarkets today, cook as quickly as fresh spinach. Their assertive taste is terrific here in a warming winter soup.

Aromatic spice and herb blends can quickly turn an ordinary soup recipe into something extraordinary. Here they transform a basic carrot soup into a special concoction you'll crave again and again. So start utilizing the "cook once, eat twice" theory; just freeze half of the recipe or make a double batch whenever possible.

Lovers of hummus will appreciate this reduced-fat version. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 25 min

This celery looks very much like the variety found in most supermarkets, but its stems are thinner and it has an abundance of leaves that resemble Italian parsley. Cooking mellows Chinese celery's pronounced flavor — for a stir-fry, it's often blanched first. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A simple and satisfying version of a typically time-consuming restaurant classic.

An adaptation of a recipe from Mexican Light Cooking by our friend Kathi Long, a chef and author in Santa Fe.

Hummus, a dip/spread traditional in many Middle Eastern countries, is usually made with chick-peas (garbanzo beans), but we use white beans for a change of pace. It is delicious with steamed potatoes and artichokes as well as blanched broccoli, cauliflower and green beans.

Crusty sourdough rolls and coleslaw made of shredded red and green cabbage tossed with a vinaigrette are nice with the soufflés. Afterward, have a caramel-nut tart from the bakery and cups of herbal tea.