5 Ingredients or Fewer

Thin green beans add ribbons of color as well as bite to a celeriac rémoulade.

The trick here is that instead of beating egg whites into peaks, you whip the chocolate and egg together in a blender. Salmonella from underdone eggs is rare, but if you're concerned about partly uncooked yolks, skip this for the kids and save it for the adults.

This simple sauce is great with the roly-poly.

In this decadent side, rosemary-Roquefort mashed potatoes are scooped back into the potato skins, topped with Gruyère cheese, and baked. Serve with steak or chicken, or make a meal of one all on its own.

Forget the marshmallows. All that these sweet potatoes need is a little butter and a drizzle of honey.

Smoked pork shoulder usually isn't available at supermarkets, so you will need to order it in advance from your butcher. If you use ham shanks instead, try to find the kind without artificial flavors like liquid smoke. And don't throw out the cooking liquid; it's great for making soup.

Tossing the potatoes in a vinegar-mustard mixture before roasting gives them a flavorful crust.

A mandoline or V-slicer makes quick work of slicing the radishes.

Orange slices add a juicy, sweet touch to this simple salad, which is made even easier by drizzling the lettuce with oil and vinegar (rather than making a proper vinaigrette).

Roasting broccoli brings out its earthy sweetness, and sprinkling it with cheese will guarantee that the kids clean their plates.

Prunes take on a velvety texture in this Port sauce. The resulting syrup is silky and sweet, with a tropical vanilla fragrance.

There's no question: If meatloaf, then potatoes. These have all the comfort of mashed, but with a nice texture from the potato slices and from being baked in cream. And they can go in the oven along with the meatloaf, so dinner will be ready all at once.

Miso soup and quick-roasted mushrooms give Pacific cod a meaty umami boost.

Toasted almonds contrast beautifully with sweet, tender raisins and earthy chard.

A super-quick take on aioli, this garlicky sauce keeps the fish incredibly moist.

Few ingredients, big payoff: Large "steaks" are cut from a head of cauliflower, sautéed until golden, then baked until tender. They're served over a simple purée made from the cauliflower florets. An impressive first course, this can also be a lovely side. Just sear two mahi-mahi fillets in butter and place them alongside the cauliflower.

A dish to convert all the Brussels sprout haters. By cooking the sprouts only briefly, you preserve their great nutty flavor. This side pairs nicely with roasted rack of lamb or whole chicken. For a Middle Eastern-flavored meal, rub either meat with olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper before cooking.

If your pears are on the dry side, the caramel will form more quickly than if they are juicy. Any variety of pears can be used in this recipe, but Bosc pears hold up especially well because of their firm texture. Almost any cheese would be great with the pears: Head to your local farmers' market or cheese shop and do some sampling.

Any variety of kale will work in this recipe. If available, try ruffled Red Russian kale, Tuscan kale, or Salad Savoy.

When shopping for a chicken, look for the organic seal. An organic chicken will be juicier than one that's conventionally raised. In this recipe, the chicken is butterflied for quicker cooking.