Lamb shoulder blade chops are used for this dinner. They're topped with a savory crust. Make them for Easter weekend or anytime you want a quick, easy special dinner.

The Tomato Mint Couscous is made with pearl couscous also called Israeli or Jerusalem couscous. It's similar to regular couscous made from wheat flour, but larger grains. It adds ...Read more

Roasting a Greek salad? Yes. I tasted one made by my friend Wendy Kallergis at the St. Sophia Cathedral's Greek Festival in Miami. In addition to tomatoes, feta cheese, oregano and thyme, it had sliced fennel, which melted into the dish. I've adapted her recipe and added pistachio nuts to make this a complete vegetarian meal.

The recipe calls ...Read more

Fresh shrimp in a light Provencal sauce is classic French bistro-style food. The Provence region in southern France is famous for this sauce made with onions, garlic and tomatoes. If your tomatoes aren't ripe, use good quality canned plum tomatoes, drained.

Helpful Hints:

-- Shorten prep time by buying fresh diced onion from the produce ...Read more

Feel like Chinese food tonight? This Chinese dinner is faster and less expensive than takeout. Stir-fried beef placed in lettuce puffs with tangy scallions and cool cucumbers takes only minutes in a wok or skillet. The meat should be crisp on the outside and tender inside. The secret is to make sure your wok or skillet is very hot before adding ...Read more

This vegetarian dish has an interesting contrast of flavors and textures. The sweet and sour sauce is very light, and it just coats the vegetables.

The secret to crisp stir-frying is to make sure the wok or skillet is very hot and heat the oil until it is smoking. Don't start to toss or stir-fry the ingredients right away. Once the food is ...Read more

Savor a taste of Italy in only 10 minutes with fish fillets topped with fresh tomato slices and melted Parmesan cheese. Penne pasta tossed with fresh spinach completes this colorful dinner.

Buy whatever white fish looks best from the market. Or, use flash frozen fish fillets which, I've found give a true fresh taste when defrosted. The fish in ...Read more

Whiskey lends a subtle, intriguing flavor to boneless pork chops. It's a quick dinner that is perfect for St. Patrick's Day or for any day. With very little fat and no bone, the chops can become dry. A secret to keeping the pork juicy is to brown the meat on both sides, lower the heat and let the pork cook, covered. Brown sugar and mustard add a...Read more

Filled with plump, juicy shrimp, smooth melted cheese and crunchy salsa, this quesadilla makes a quick, Southwestern dinner. Although quesadillas usually are served as an appetizer, these are large and filling enough for supper.

Most quesadillas are made by filling tortillas and folding them over. For this dinner, the quesadillas are stacked ...Read more

Tomatoes, olives and garlic are staples for zesty Sicilian cooking. Raisins add sweetness giving the sauce a tantalizing sweet and sour flavor. This Mediterranean island was the crossroads for many invading cultures, which infused the island cooking with raisins and other dried fruits added to many dishes.

The sauce for the fish can be made in ...Read more

Beef tenderloin dressed with a tangy Gorgonzola sauce is a perfect special dinner for Valentine's Day or any day.

Gorgonzola is a blue-veined, cow's-milk cheese that takes its name from the town of that name in Lombardy, Italy. Like its cousins Roquefort and Stilton, its piquant flavor and blue veining are the result of the addition of mold ...Read more

The natural flavor of shrimp enhanced with cashew nuts, without the need for heavy sauces, is the style of cooking in Suzhou, China. Jin Wen Yuan is a trained chef and businessman in this charming area of China. He prepared this dish for my friend Joanna Preuss on her recent trip there. I've adapted the recipe for this quick dinner.

Here are ...Read more