Salad/5 recipes

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.

Unsloppy Joes are vegetarian sloppy joes with kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, and diced vegetables served in hollowed-out kaiser rolls. Low-fat, hearty, and mess-free.

Beef skirt steak fajitas marinated in lime juice, tequila, garlic, cumin, and oregano overnight then grilled. Served in warm tortillas with salsa and guacamole.

Pan-fried SPAM slices on toasted buns with mayo, crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, and melty cheese. These 20-minute SPAM burgers are the easiest weeknight dinner you'll ever throw together.

Brandy-soaked apples baked into a moist sheet cake with walnuts, raisins, and warm spices. Simple mixing, no mixer needed.

Filet mignon strips marinated in soy, sherry, garlic and ginger, then woven onto bamboo skewers for hot oil fondue. Served with a crunchy beansprout and Chinese leaf salad on the side.

DIY dry veggie burger mix from blended chickpeas, soybeans, lentils, split peas, rice, and oats. Just add water to form patties. The pantry-staple shortcut.

Italian pasta salad with rotini, broccoli, mozzarella, bell peppers, and a homemade basil-oregano vinaigrette. A make-ahead cold pasta dish for potlucks and picnics.

A rich bouillabaisse loaded with lobster tails, cod, halibut, and sea scallops in a saffron-tomato broth with orange peel and fennel. Served over garlic toast for a stunning French-inspired seafood feast.

Bubbly, melty crab canapes on crispy melba rounds with Jarlsberg cheese and a hint of dry mustard. Ready in 25 minutes for effortless entertaining.