Quick

Soft goat cheese is a splendid spread for wraps, with a special affinity for red peppers.

Look for tomatillo salsa shelved near the standard tomato-based salsas. It’s a nice change of pace for serving with tortilla specialties.

Refried beans to the rescue once again—this time in a room-temperature wrap that’s a delight to serve to lunchtime company or pack into a brown-bag lunch or picnic.

Spinach and mushrooms are nicely flavored with sharp cheddar in these delectable wraps.

A lighter tortilla dish, this is good served with a hearty grain pilaf or a bean dish.

I opted to make these only as soft tacos, as the filling is a bit too sensuous (a polite word for “messy”) for quesadillas. This is definitely a knife-and-fork dish.

The combination of sweet potatoes, chilies, and cheese is downright sensuous. Serve with Summer Squash and Corn Sauté (page 209) and a simple tossed salad.

This would be an ideal meal to make of leftover mashed potatoes, but that’s one leftover I rarely seem to have on hand. If you find yourself with some, these tasty burritos can be made in a flash. Serve with Beer-Stewed Pinto Beans (page 116) and a bountiful salad.

Here are those handy refried beans again, in a different guise. They help hold this tortilla specialty together.

In another super-easy, nearly instant tortilla recipe, chewy baked tofu stands in for chicken. You may not find this wonderful product in the supermarket; look for it in natural foods stores.

I always keep a can or two of refried beans in the pantry and flour tortillas in the freezer for those nights when I am on the verge of reaching for a take-out menu. Even if you are bone-weary by dinnertime, these two ingredients are the ticket to nearly effortless yet highly satisfying meals such as this one and the following burritos.

These burritos are easy because you are not so much cooking a meal as putting the ingredients on the table. Everyone then makes his or her own.

Briny olives and sweet green peas have a pleasant synergy that results in a delicious pizza topping.

Cheddar cheese is a pleasing change of pace from the usual mozzarella.

See the accompanying menu for a pizza meal that celebrates spring.

Layer on the Southwestern flavors in this playful pizza variation. Serve with a tossed salad and stone-ground tortilla chips. This tastes best with sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack, but use reduced-fat cheddar if you prefer.

Soy “pepperoni” has a convincing flavor, but not the greasiness of its meaty counterpart. Predictably, it’s low in fat (and sometimes fat-free) and a terrific way to jazz up a homemade pizza. This makes a fun meal for kids and teens with any of the smoothies on pages 245 to 246.

Pizza goes gourmet with the use of smoky mozzarella and tasty mushrooms. Like a number of the other pizzas in this chapter, this one makes a complete meal with the addition of a big salad and fresh fruit or a fruity dessert from Chapter Eleven.

Roasted peppers and artichokes give this easy pizza a touch of elegance.

Olives add zesty flavor to a traditional pizza.