Monterey Jack

This makes a great dish for brunch or lunch.

This zesty, eye-opening casserole can be made with either pork or beef chorizo.

Chipotle chiles are quite spicy; choosing a mild enchilada sauce will temper the heat of this dish. Look for chipotle chiles canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, in the Latin American foods section of the supermarket. Serve with: Avocado, red onion, and grapefruit salad with citrus vinaigrette, and Spanish rice.

"At the Manhattan law office where I'm a legal secretary, it seems as though the phones are always ringing," writes Lisa Caiazzo of Franklin Square, New York. "And if it isn't the phones that have me occupied, then there are lots of documents that need my attention. By the time I get home from the city, I usually have only about 45 minutes to put together dinner for my husband, Angelo, and myself. Still, that's enough time to make something filling and delicious, like a salad and a hearty pasta or soup. My best cooking, though, is done on Sundays during the fall and winter, when I become a football widow. An afternoon of cooking can be very therapeutic after a busy week." Any mixture of vegetables you have on hand would make a great filling. Serve the wraps with purchased salsa and sour cream.

Chilaquiles, the ever-popular Mexican casserole, was created to use up stale tortillas. Made with a good sauce, the tortillas come back to life, take on all the flavors, and provide a wonderful textural contrast. Although chilaquiles are usually prepared casserole style, I have seen them made to order with scrambled eggs and chorizo. I particularly enjoy chilaquiles as a brunch item served with margaritas, chilled Mexican beer, or a hearty sangria.

"For my birthday," writes Cynthia Black of Kansas City, Missouri, "my husband took me to Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale. One night we ate dinner at Top of the Rock, a restaurant at the resort. As a side dish, they served incredible cheese and jalapeño grits." This colorful side dish would be delicious with roast chicken, steak, or pork.

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.

Capirotada The cheese in this recipe melts into the pudding and contributes more texture than flavor.

The following dish was inspired by a gratin served at Mesa Grill in New York City. In that recipe six sweet potatoes are combined with a chipotle chili and a quart of heavy cream for a rich and delicious side dish. In our version a similarly sweet-hot balance is achieved with the addition of enchilada sauce and cheese but no cream.

(Layered Corn Tortillas, Tomato Sauce, and Cheese)