Simmer

The flavorful butter adds plenty of zip.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but may require additional sitting time. Even though it might seem odd to use frozen peas during fresh pea season, they are infinitely easier to deal with than fresh peas in the pod — particularly when making a quick dish such as this soup whizzed up in a blender.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Great over rice or toasted French bread.

"I literally didn't know how to boil an egg until I was in my 20s — when I tried to impress a guy by making dinner for him," writes Sally Siegel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "I didn't have much success with the dinner or the guy, but I regrouped and put together a repertoire of fairly elegant dishes I felt confident making. Luckily, my husband, Loren, likes to cook as much as I do, so we really work as a team when we give dinner parties. We're both real estate agents, and we like to entertain clients — we've made some great friends by selling houses to them." Silky and light, this blender soup would make a delicate summer starter. Bonus: It comes together very quickly.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Veggie crumbles, a savory blend of vegetable and grain proteins, lend this chili a hearty, ground beef flavor. Look for it in the frozen foods section of the supermarket. To go with the chili, warm some of the new flavored tortillas, and add a composed salad of jicama and red onion with poppy seed ranch dressing. Then splurge with banana splits.

Cubans call this delicious stew enchilado, and while that might sound a lot like enchilada, the two dishes are nothing alike.

The title refers to the black and green olives featured in this piquant dish.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The crostini can be assembled two hours ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate until ready to broil and serve.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In the following recipe we've added a North African twist to caponata, a versatile Italian eggplant concoction that is usually served as a salad or relish.

Using a handheld blender to puree the soup right in the pot makes it easier to prepare. If the celery root is stringy, press the soup through a strainer.