One-Pot Meals

Satisfying accompaniments for this clever hash would be steamed broccoli and a salad of crisp romaine lettuce with red wine vinaigrette and some shaved Parmesan cheese. We recommend serving slices of Boston cream pie afterward.

"This is a recipe I created on a snowy night when my family needed a little warming up," writes Rebecca Averill of Beverly, Massachusetts. "I combined the spices of India with the flavors of the Southwest, and added bulgur to give the chili a meaty texture. "

Serve this curry with condiments such as dried currants, sliced green onions, shredded coconut and toasted slivered almonds.

Offer thinly sliced serrano ham or prosciutto and bowls of stuffed olives and toasted almonds along with the beans.

This custard makes a perfect one-dish brunch, lunch, or supper, especially when paired with a green salad. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Miniature pasta gives a unique twist to the classic Italian vegetable soup.

A versatile dish for the family or for casual entertaining. The chili is also good without the cornmeal topping, served with corn bread alongside.

A pretty and refreshing composed salad that can be made using only one skillet.

Round out the menu with sliced radicchio, fennel and roasted bell pepper salad; crisp flatbread; and apricot sorbet with cookies.

This three-in-one dish (chicken, rice, and soup) originated in Hainan, a tropical island off China's southern coast, and has become a culinary staple in Malaysian culture.

"At a recent lunch at the Stage House Inn in Scotch Plains, I was served a braised veal shank," writes Max J. Kalm of Westfield, New Jersey. "This version was so much better than the ones I’ve prepared. Would chef David Drake be willing to share his recipe?" The restaurant serves this entrée with a vegetable risotto. Mashed potatoes would also be a good side dish for the veal shanks.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The bouquet garni for this stew includes orange peel (use a vegetable peeler to make wide strips) and some of the wispy fronds from the top of the fennel bulb that goes into the soup.

This duck recipe is unusually light and delicate.