I was surprised to find crispy eggplant on the menu of an Irish pub. It wasn't the usual pub food. The crisp topping and creamy inside made a great vegetarian entree. Here it's served with pasta mixed with a garlicky tomato sauce.

This meal takes under 15 minutes to make with the help of a microwave oven. The pasta boils for 8 minutes while you...Read more

Hot Thai peanut sauce and shiitake mushrooms give a new twist to traditional tostadas. Tostadas are crisp tortillas that can have a variety of fillings and take their name from its toasted tortilla base. Most tostadas have a deep-fried base. For this quick dinner, I find it easier and healthier to crisp the tortillas under the broiler.

The corn...Read more

This vegetarian pizza has a flour tortilla for its base. It provides and ultra-thin crust, allowing the toppings to be featured.

I like to place the baking tray in the oven while the oven preheats. It will be hot when the tortillas are placed on it, helping keep them crisp.

For speedy preparation, look for sliced or diced vegetables in the ...Read more

Sweet maple syrup, spicy mustard and tart balsamic vinegar make an unusual sweet and sour glaze for sauteed pork medallions. The medallions are made by cutting pork tenderloin into slices and then flattening them to about 1/2 inch thick. This shortens the cooking time for the pork.

The yellow potatoes and broccoli take only minutes to make in a...Read more

Garlic, sherry and hoisin sauce flavor chicken in this quick Chinese stir-fry. The cooking time for the chicken recipe is only 5 minutes. The secret to this quick cooked dish is cutting the chicken and cucumbers into 1/2-inch pieces. The cucumber gives the dish an intriguing texture and flavor.

Hoisin sauce is a mixture of soybeans, garlic, ...Read more

Sweet beets and tangy goat cheese combined with toasted walnuts, arugula and salad greens make a tasty salad supper. This is a vegetarian dinner that can be assembled in minutes with the help of supermarket ingredients. No need to spend time roasting the beets. Cooked beets are available in the produce section of the market. Or, instead of using...Read more

A dusting of curry flavors this simple chicken dish. There's no slicing or dicing for this meal. Ready-to-eat shredded carrots can be found in the produce section of the supermarket. They're added to the rice just after the rice is cooked, warming them through while keeping their crisp texture.

The curry powder sold in supermarkets is a blend ...Read more

Tacos, a traditional Mexican dish, have become an American favorite.

These fish tacos take only minutes to make and get a lot of flavor from Old Bay Seasoning, which can be found in the spice section of the market.

Serve the tacos as an open sandwich or fold them over taco style. Either way they make a simple, delicious dinner.

To save ...Read more

This easy dry rub adds flavor in minutes to barbecued pork. A blend of spices and peanuts rubbed into the meat forms a crust that is a great alternative to a marinade. You don't have to wait for the meat to absorb the flavors.

The pork can be barbecued or broiled. If you barbecue, heat one section of the grill and place the pork over the ...Read more