No-Cook

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional sitting time.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This is traditionally served with sliced cold veal, but we also like it with turkey or as a dip for vegetables.

"Blue Moon in Dayton serves a fabulous goat cheese salad with a raspberry-poppy seed dressing," writes Susan M. Berry of Dayton, Ohio. "Would they share the recipe?"

This is the "he-man" of mojos, and the classic combination of lime, garlic, and oregano is a must for grilled red meats. Try it with flank steaks, T-bones, sirloin steaks, or lamb.

Serve this alongside quesadillas.

Serve this salsa with the Pinto Bean Enfrijoladas , or as a dip with tortilla chips.

Yellow tomatoes — which are typically sweeter than red ones — flavor a sunny Golden State version of the chilled summer soup. Begin preparing this recipe one day before you plan to serve it.

Draining the yogurt overnight makes this low-fat guacamole extra-creamy.

In Indian restaurants, lassi is served with the meal, but we frequently find this exotic "smoothie" too filling to accompany a main course and prefer it in place of dessert. Look for the smaller, yellow-skinned mangoes, which have a more pronounced flavor than the larger, red and green ones.

A few years ago, when I was in southeastern Turkey working on my book Mediterranean Grains and Greens, I noticed that the women didn't soak their bulgur in water for some summer preparations. When I asked a Turkish friend about this, she let out a laugh. "In Turkey, no man would marry a woman who just used water! For cold bulgur dishes we always soak in tomato juice, onion juice, or fresh pressed and strained sour grape juice to flavor the bulgur first."

Purchased pineapple-coconut ice cream and mango and boysenberry sorbets make this dessert easy. The terrine needs to freeze overnight before serving.

Save time by using vacuum-sealed pouches of tuna, which don't need to be drained.

Ras-El-Hanout This vibrant spice blend makes an excellent addition to lamb burgers or roasted chicken. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place.