Leafy Greens

Roasted baby potatoes and steamed asparagus with blue-cheese dressing make appealing sides. Layer sugared sliced strawberries and whipped cream in goblets for dessert.

For a prettier salad, we used two varieties of radicchio — the common Verona, with red leaves and white ribs, and Treviso, which can range from pink to red and has narrower, pointed leaves.

Bottled vinaigrette adds a tangy twist to the chicken. This stylish dish goes well with couscous. Molasses cookies and vanilla ice cream sprinkled with chopped crystallized ginger would be a lovely finish.

Who knew bulgur could be such a great substitute for rice in risotto? And without all that stirring. No, bulgur won’t replace Arborio rice anytime soon—but you’ll be surprised at how good it can be.

"This favorite was inspired by my wife's penchant for sweet onions and mine for bitter greens," says Joe Archibald of Kensington, Connecticut. "The creaminess of the chèvre is set off nicely by the tartness of the vinegar." Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Use canned beets to cut the preparation time of this colorful salad.

Called bianca, or "white," because they are sauceless, these crispy pizzas are the essence of clean flavor. The toppings are added after the crusts come out of the oven, melting the cheese slightly. This recipe makes two round pizzas or four rectangular ones.

Make the slaw and chill it up to two hours before serving. It is best cold.

At the restaurant, they use Champagne in the salad dressing. We've simplified it with white wine vinegar, but if you've got a bottle of the bubbly open, feel free to substitute.

"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." Pair this lovely side or first-course salad with the Blue Cheese Toasts. Add cooked, peeled shrimp for a lunch entrée.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Tatsoi, mizuna, and pea shoots are available at Asian markets as well as at some specialty foods shops and farmers markets. If you have trouble finding any of these greens, packaged organic baby Asian salad mix (such as Earthbound Farm brand) is an excellent substitute and can be found at most supermarkets. (Buy three 5-ounce packages.)

This recipe can be made vegetarian by substituting either soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos for the Nuoc Nam, a Vietnamese fish sauce made from anchovies which is used as a salty seasoning. The flavor will not be quite the same, but it will be equally satisfying.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 50 min