Salad/6 recipes

Grilled eggplant is meaty and tender, grilling gives the lots of smoky flavor; it's served with feta cheese, toasted pine nuts and garlicky yogurt sauce over a bed of lettuce. Nutty, creamy and refreshing summer salad, a well balanced side along with your favorite grilled steak.

Hot tuna burgers stuff hamburger buns with tuna salad, diced American cheese, celery and onion, then bake them sealed in foil until the cheese melts. Vintage church-supper handheld dinner with built-in nostalgia.

Zucchini bread with a wholesome twist: toasted wheat germ for nutty fiber, a hint of maple, and a crunchy sesame-seed top. A moist quick bread that puts garden zucchini to good use.

This is one of my absolute favorite things to make at this time of year. It takes almost no time to prepare, so I’ll whip up a big batch on my day off and then all I have to do when I get home is put it in a bowl or mash it up and put it on toasted bread drizzled with some olive oil. It also makes a great appetizer along with some homemade or store-bought pita chips. Honestly, when serving this as a dip or a spread, I don’t even bother taking out my food processor, I just use the bottom of a glass and mash it a bit.

Retro frosted liver pate made from braunschweiger mounded with garlic, onion, and basil, then coated in a cream cheese and hot pepper sauce frosting. A classic party spread served with dark rye crackers.

No-egg chocolate cake made with cocoa powder, sour milk, and boiling water for a rich, moist crumb. One-bowl mixing, no eggs needed, baked in a tube pan.

A big-batch brownie sheet cake made with cocoa, buttermilk, and a hint of cinnamon. The boiled cocoa mixture gives the crumb an intensely fudgy texture. Ice it while warm for a glossy, melt-in finish.

Cheese tortelloni tossed with stir-fried cabbage, red, yellow, and green bell peppers in olive oil with basil. A colorful vegetarian pasta dinner that comes together in one hour.

Egg noodles with hot Italian sausage, broccoli, carrots, and onions tossed together in a one-skillet dinner. The sausage drippings become the flavor base for the vegetables.

Light chicken salad sandwich filling with shredded carrots, celery, grated onion, and light mayo. Make it ahead and stash it in the fridge for quick lunches all week.

Ranchera sauce made from scratch with a roux-thickened tomato base, cumin, garlic, and fresh vegetables. A versatile Mexican sauce for rice, enchiladas, and huevos rancheros.

Quebec poached salmon steaks gently cooked in a lemon court bouillon, chilled, then cloaked in a vivid green herb mayonnaise of spinach, parsley, scallion, and pepper. An elegant make-ahead cold salmon platter.

SPAM blended smooth with onion, jalapeño peppers, and mayo for a spicy, creamy dip that's ready to chill in 5 minutes flat. Scoop it up with chips or crackers for easy no-cook snacking.

A tangy, creamy Southern dipping sauce made with mayo, ketchup, chili sauce, Worcestershire, garlic, and a dash of hot sauce. No cooking required. Mix, chill, and dunk away.

Pork piccata with a Parmesan-breadcrumb crust pan-fried in garlic butter, served with a tangy caper-lemon mayo sauce. A quick weeknight twist on the classic Italian veal piccata.

Cheesy tuna buns stuffed with egg, cheddar, green pepper and a mustard kick. Ready in 10 minutes flat using your microwave. The easiest hot tuna sandwich for busy weeknight dinners the whole family will love.