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

Here's a quick dish to make for 2 or 20. Picadillo is a popular Latin dish using ground meat, onions, green bell pepper, tomato sauce and raisins. Using ground buffalo adds a new dimension and flavor to this 10-minute, no-fuss dinner. Ground buffalo meat is now available in most supermarkets. The flavor is excellent and the meat also makes ...Read more

Hearty black bean soup becomes a welcoming dinner. With the addition of shrimp and rice, it's a whole meal in a bowl. Best of all it takes only 20 minutes start to finish. Soups are great family fare, but usually take too long to make for a midweek meal. This quick one fits the bill.

Black beans are becoming popular as we discover that they ...Read more

Looking for a warm and welcoming winter meal? This Mac Cheese and Chicken pie will fit the bill. It's an updated version of one of America's favorite meals.

A bubbly, cheesy homemade pie can take too long to make for a busy weeknight. Using frozen chopped onions and green pepper along with cooked chicken slices, you can make this meal in 20 ...Read more

Steak with balsamic vinegar cooked to a sweet glaze is a perfect dinner for a weeknight or end-of-year celebration. Linguine with fresh basil and tomatoes makes a colorful side dish. Skirt steak is one of my favorite cuts. It's flavorful and cooks quickly. Balsamic vinegar tenderizes and flavors meat without adding extra calories.

Balsamic ...Read more

Shrimp, feta cheese, tomato and garlic blend together giving this 10-minute dish the tangy flavors of Greece.

Most of the ingredients for this meal can be kept on hand. It's perfect for evenings when you want to make a fresh meal and you haven't had time to go to the market. I like to keep peeled and deveined shrimp in the freezer. They defrost...Read more

Freshly made ratatouille, a tasty blend of Provencal vegetables and crispy, sauteed, chicken cutlets make a quick meal for this busy time of year. Coating the chicken with coarse cornmeal gives it a flavorful crust which becomes crispy when sauteed. Cornmeal can be found in three textures, coarse, medium or fine and three colors, white, yellow ...Read more

Shrimp, feta cheese, tomato and garlic blend together giving this 10-minute dish the tangy flavors of Greece.

Most of the ingredients for this meal can be kept on hand. It's perfect for evenings when you want to make a fresh meal and you haven't had time to go to the market. I like to keep peeled and deveined shrimp in the freezer. They defrost...Read more