5 au minute recipes

Asparagus au gratin with Swiss cheese, buttery bread crumbs, and dry mustard. Blanched crisp-tender then baked golden in 20 minutes total. A quick, elegant side.

Pain au Sucre, Quebec sugar house maple toast: buttered whole wheat bread broiled with maple sugar until bubbling, topped with walnuts and cream. A 25-minute French-Canadian breakfast treat.

Easy pot-au-feu with lean pork, leeks, carrots, and mixed vegetables simmered in beef broth with thyme and marjoram. A simplified French one-pot dinner ready in 90 minutes.

Charlie's brownies are one-bowl easy: dump, beat for a minute, and bake, then top with a glossy chocolate fudge icing. Brown sugar and melted unsweetened chocolate make them rich, and the icing seals the deal.

Thai-style shrimp and asparagus stir-fry with garlic, straw mushrooms, fish sauce, and oyster sauce. Wok-fast: shrimp turn bright orange and the sauce sets in under a minute.