30 Minutes or Less

These burgers are easier to handle if they are chilled for one hour before grilling. They would be great with rice salad and cucumber slices. Grilled pound cake topped with crushed sweetened strawberries and whipped cream makes a luscious finale.

Just a few ingredients are all it takes to prepare a wonderful side dish that's great for any time of the year.

Tangerine juice adds an intriguing note to the velvety sauce. Look for the largest possible tangerines to make squeezing easier.

In many parts of the country, pierogi, Eastern European dumplings, are sold fresh and frozen in supermarkets. Like premade egg rolls, they've become a convenience food for cooks with limited time. Served with the cabbage and bacon, they're all you need for dinner. These turnovers are typically deep-fried, or boiled and then panfried. Instead, we used a method often employed for cooking frozen Asian dumplings and found it works very well. If pierogi aren't sold in your supermarket, try a local Polish or Eastern European deli.

This flavorful chicken makes an impressive impromptu dinner when accompanied by the Caramelized Onion and Roasted Red Pepper Linguine and a nice salad (use a bagged lettuce mixture, of course). Frozen chicken will work here if that's what you have on hand; just defrost it quickly in the microwave.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 35 min

Puttanesca sauce is normally cooked, but we developed a quick and easy version that doesn't require cooking.

Steamed spinach, mashed potatoes, and oatmeal cookies would fit the rustic theme.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min The flavor of fresh sage can be intense. You may want to start by adding 3 tablespoons of sage to the pesto, then taste after processing and add another tablespoon if you'd like a stronger flavor.

"I have a 'stragglers Thanksgiving' — that's what I call it — at my house every year," writes Frances Teasley of North Hollywood, California. "I know a lot of people who, like me, don't have any family nearby. Thirteen years ago I started inviting a few people for dinner. And that small holiday gathering has become a big tradition among my friends. For weekday meals, I look for shortcuts and do-aheads. But for holiday meals, I like to do everything the same day because I love the smell of cooking that fills the house."

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

Linguine alle vongole
Adapted from Esca For this pasta dish, David Pasternack strongly recommends using a hard, sturdy dried pasta—in other words, don't be tempted to buy fresh or egg linguine. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

The simple, delicious and versatile ginger sauce would also be terrific with shrimp. Look for rice vinegar in the Asian foods section of the supermarket. Serve the scallops with crusty bread or rice.

In Rome, this is a typical way of preparing bitter greens. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min