Simmer

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This is just the ticket for spicy-food aficionados. Serve it over rice-and keep a fire extinguisher nearby. If your taste is a little less adventurous, start with only 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes; then adjust as the mixture cooks.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For a different take on onion soup, a traditional beef-broth base is here spiked with beer and fortified with garlic. Rye-bread croutons top this simple soup, which, with the addition of a salad, makes a fine fall supper.

A quick yet elegant pasta dish.

Honey, brandy and spices enhance purchased marmalade for an easy-to-make gift.

(Wheat Berry Salad with Tomatoes, Tuna, and Capers) Kamut, a strain of wheat said to date back to ancient Egypt and now widely available in health-food stores, is a good substitute for Sicilian durum wheat. It is very similar in taste and texture when cooked. Spelt, though a bit chewier, is also acceptable. It too is available in health-food stores.

Garlic is a perfect partner for the shellfish in this easy starter. Pass a basket of soda bread to mop all the juices.

Here's a zesty, colorful-and lighter version of clam chowder that brings new life to an old favorite. Accompany the chowder with a salad of lettuce, carrots and pickled beets; the muffins; and beer or lemonade. Purchased apple pie with cheddar cheese makes a terrific finale.

A rich entrée that's even more satisfying served over noodles.

Freshly picked greens and herbs are essential to cooking in the Apulia region of Italy. Their assertive, often bitter flavor enriches many a modest dish. Here, a just-cooked tomato sauce is enlivened with the peppery taste of arugula.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The secret to this dish is to trim the okra very carefully at the top, cutting the stem without cutting open the okra at all.

The potatoes are cooked in chicken broth and then tossed with chives to give the dish a boost of flavor with almost no additional fat.