Avocado

Sprinkle shredded cheddar over some tortilla chips, and pop them under the broiler for a minute-you'll have instant first-course nachos. All you need with the salad is a basket of tortillas or crusty bread. Mix some cinnamon into chocolate pudding to wrap up this Mexican-style dinner. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

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

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Chili powder and chopped jalapeño add a touch of heat to this smooth appetizer. Try sprinkling it with chopped red onion for some crunch and color.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Basil mayonnaise and avocado slices add an extra dimension to the good old bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. Bloody Marys would go nicely with the food in this menu.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve with: Shredded lettuce and radishes tossed with lemon vinaigrette, and Spanish rice. Dessert: Lime sherbet.

Tomates Rellenos Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min Long before guacamole, tortilla chips, and Margaritas became a popular light dinner, guacamole was often served in tomatoes, and we were charmed by this presentation.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

Serve with: Black bean salad from the deli and salad toppings like sour cream, shredded lettuce, grated Monterey Jack cheese, and salsa. Dessert: Double-dip dulce de leche and chocolate ice cream cones.

This uncooked soup isn't for the timid — raw garlic, ginger, and shallot impart strong flavors. Unless you can get freshly made vegetable juice from your local juice bar, you will need an electric juicer to make the tomato or carrot juice. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

This recipe is an accompaniment for Crispy Pork with Avocado Salsa and Tomato Salsa .

María A. Alvarado-Gómez of Erie, Pennsylvania, writes: "I came to the United States as an exchange student, after spending the first 18 years of my life in Mérida, Yucatán. On school vacations I would go home and cook with my mother and sisters so that I wouldn't lose my touch. My mother was a skilled cook, and I was lucky to have learned at her side. Her food was so popular in our neighborhood that she sold portions of our daily meals to other families. With nine well-fed kids, she said we were her best advertisement. "I still take great pride in the food of my homeland. Yucatecan cuisine is known for its Mayan influence, and the essential ingredients we use — limes, spices, avocados, tomatoes, peppers — make for wonderful flavors. Now that ground spices are readily available and vegetables can be quickly chopped in a food processor, preparing traditional Mexican dishes is easier than ever." This dish is the Yucatecan version of huevos rancheros.

Japanese bread crumbs, called panko , give these cakes a light, crisp coating. Panko is sold at Asian markets and can often be found in the seafood section of large supermarkets. But if it's unavailable, plain dry bread crumbs are an acceptable substitute.