Grilling

To make this recipe even easier to prepare, substitute three tablespoons diced canned green chilies for the fresh Anaheim chili.

Here's our version of Barba Yianni's grilled lamb. The marinade works equally well with lamb chops, kebabs, or butterflied leg of lamb. You can also use it on pork or chicken. Skordalia is often made with mashed potatoes or bread soaked in water, but we feel the yogurt gives it more flavor. Skordalia is also good with grilled fish or chicken breasts.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

All the flavors of a downhome barbecue sauce combined in a dry "rub" that won't mask the flavor of the steaks.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. For side dishes, mix grated carrots into deli macaroni salad, and pass corn on the cob. Strawberry ice cream with chocolate sauce and sliced strawberries is a sweet ending.

Quinoa, an ancient grain eaten by the Incas, is naturally coated with a bitter-tasting substance called saponin. But once the residue is rinsed away, you have a versatile, nutty-tasting grain that makes a fine alternative to rice and barley. For convenience, grill the bell peppers in this dish at the same time as the vegetables and beef for the main-course kebabs.

For a milder dish, use fewer Thai chiles and seed the serranos before mincing them. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Inspired by Middle Eastern cooking.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 40 min

Thin slices of sweet potato can be grilled alongside the ribs, then drizzled with maple syrup. Have coleslaw and corn bread on the side, too. End with lemon meringue pie.

"While visiting friends on Cape Cod, I had dinner at the Aqua Grille in Sandwich," says Corolyn Hampton of Saratoga Springs, New York. "The beer-marinated steak, served with a peppercorn sauce and mashed potatoes, was the centerpiece of a fabulous meal."

Look for the hoisin sauce in the Asian foods section. To go with the skewers, have Asian noodle salad tossed with packaged shredded vegetables. For dessert, try grilled honey-brushed bananas with ice cream.

Ground turkey is a fine substitute for the chicken.