Keto

Unlike their larger siblings, baby artichokes have no thistly choke and are completely edible. Despite the name, they're fully mature.

This fragrant dish would be great served over couscous.

Start this dish at least 4 hours ahead. The chicken can also marinate overnight. What to drink: A delicate white wine with floral aromas, like Pinot Gris from Austria or Alsace.

Make this multicolored salad a day ahead and chill it overnight for best flavor.

Fried sage works on two levels to make these carrots spectacular: First, the leaves' crisp texture offsets the carrots' tenderness, and second, the aromatic oil that remains in the skillet after frying infuses the vegetable with deep flavor.

Ann Gillespie of Alexandria, Virginia, writes: "Because I'm balancing graduate school and a family, I try to cook things that don't take a lot of time. But I love experimenting with ingredients, so most of my recipes are easy to make and use interesting flavor combinations. During the week, salads are our mainstay. When we get bored with veggies, we add different fruits, like the blueberries in the recipe here."

This variation on steak frites spices up the steak and gives a garlic boost to frozen fries. You can use any packaged spice-rub mix for beef, but we use a combination of equal parts cumin and coriander, half that amount of salt and pepper, and one eighth that amount of clove. If your rub doesn't contain salt, you'll need to add some, to taste. This take on a classic meal is easy, but you will be searing the steak and frying the potatoes at the same time.

Ann Gillespie of Alexandria, Virginia, writes: "Because I'm balancing graduate school and a family, I try to cook things that don't take a lot of time. But I love experimenting with ingredients, so most of my recipes are easy to make and use interesting flavor combinations. The olives and cinnamon in this stew give it a nice Moroccan flavor. This dish balances sweet and savory with tangy Kalamata olives and golden raisins.

Fresh, peppery arugula pairs nicely with the Steamed Clams with Pasta.

Kansas city steaks (also known as New York strip steaks) are sirloin steaks that have the bone attached. If you can't find this cut, ask your butcher to cut the filet side off porterhouse or T-bone steaks, leaving the strip side with the bone for you. What to drink: A Merlot-based red with intense fruit and velvety tannins. Try a Bordeaux or a California blend.

This vegetarian starter has an incredibly silky texture, but less than a tablespoon of butter per serving.

Tossed in a fabulous country-style dressing, these bitter greens are a wonderful counterpoint to a hearty main course.

A good-quality extra-virgin olive oil makes all the difference here. Elena uses Barbera Frantoia XV, from Sicily, which, when tossed with the warm beans, bursts with a gentle grassy flavor.

Straccetti di Manzo Generations of Roman cooks have relied on this trattoria favorite — made with classic ingredients — for dinner in a hurry.

Improv: Replace the shrimp with sea scallops and use only poblano chiles.

When chef Sam Choy doesn't have the time to build an imu, he makes this oven-cooked kalua pig. The dish is often served with sweet potatoes and poi (mashed taro root). It's also great on a sandwich with coleslaw and barbecue sauce.