Spaghetti Puttanesca

Posted by Joseph Erdos

A simple dish can be just as easy as boiling pasta and preparing a pan sauce. Using all staples in the pantry, this Spaghetti Puttanesca is done in 30 minutes. A base flavor of anchovies gives it a unique taste -- trust me, you won't notice it's there. And the addition of capers and olives lends a Mediterranean salt-and-brine flavor. It's just the kind of supper that everyone loves -- it's flavorful, filling, and inexpensive.

PREP: 10 minutes
TOTAL: 30 minutes

GET THE RECIPE:
Spaghetti Puttanesca

Lazy-Day Chili

Posted by Adina Steiman

After all the planning, prepping, and cooking for Thanksgiving (not to mention the clean-up), the weekend is the perfect time to put your feet up and relax.  Of course, at some point in time, you will get hungry again -- and that's the perfect time to make this 30-minute chili.  It manages to be fast and fabulous, since it doesn't skimp on flavor-packed ingredients like chipotle chiles, some hearty beer, and a savvy blend of chili powder and cinnamon.  I love it with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and cilantro on top, but some tortilla chips wouldn't go amiss, either.  The perfect finale to a action-packed long weekend.

What ingredient do you think is essential for great chili?

Beef Tacos with Radish and Avocado Salsa

Posted by Emma Feigenbaum

This is a fast dinner -- the kind I like best, really. There's really no reason to buy Mexican takeout when you can make it better, and everyone in your family can add their favorite toppings (extra onions and no lettuce for me, please). See it's personal!

What's going on your taco (other than radish and avocado salsa)?

PREP: 15 minutes
TOTAL: 25 minutes

GET THE RECIPE:
Beef Tacos with Radish and Avocado Salsa

Linguine with Turkey Sausage and Peppers

Posted by Caroline Wright

Classic Italian ingredients -- peppers, sausage, and garlic -- come together in this easy weeknight dish. While you cook your pasta, let your idle time work for you as you brown a pound of turkey sausage.

Toss in a few peppers, a handful of sliced garlic, some pasta water and finish with a little butter and you have a flavorful pasta toss, without a sauce! Everything will come together at once, as you return your hot, cooked pasta to its pot with a bit of chopped arugula along with the pasta toppings.

PREP: 15 minutes
TOTAL: 30 minutes

GET THE RECIPE:
Linguine with Turkey Sausage and Peppers

What are your favorite pasta sauces that come together in the time it takes water to boil?

Spaghetti Carbonara

Posted by Sandy Gluck

Bacon and eggs never had it so good. Yes, it's rich, but one mouthful and I'll bet you won't be complaining. A little bit of half-and-half added to the bacon-and-egg mixture makes for a super creamy combo to toss with hot pasta.

What to pair it with? Well, given that this is rich, you need something to cut it just a little. I'd try a peppery arugula salad or a crunchy romaine salad, both with mildly acidic dressings. Put up a pot of water for the pasta, set the bacon on to cook, toss the salad, and dinner is served.

PREP: 30 minutes
TOTAL: 30 minutes

SEE THE RECIPES:
Spaghetti Carbonara
Arugula Cucumber Salad
Romaine Salad

Sauteed Cajun Shrimp

Posted by Adina Steiman

This 25-minute dinner makes the most of one of our favorite superstars: frozen shrimp. Simply thaw them for a few minutes in lukewarm water, and they're ready to be transformed into a hearty meal. Multitasking is built right into the recipe -- while the rice is cooking, you saute shrimp with red peppers and flavorful andouille sausage or kielbasa. And there you have it: a meal even Emeril would be proud of!

PREP: 20 minutes
TOTAL: 25 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Sauteed Cajun Shrimp

Raisin- and Bread-Stuffed Pork Chops

Posted by Sandy Gluck

Although you could get your butcher to make a pocket in these chops, it's easy to do it yourself. And you don't need those super-thick chops -- these are a mere 3/4-inch thick but when packed with a quick bread-and-fruit stuffing they look, well, impressive. Use a paring knife to cut a small slit in the boneless side of each chop, then pivot it around inside to make the pocket wider, without cutting through. And, if you do cut through, no worries -- stuff the pocket, and then just flip the chop over and broil the other side.

We used whole-wheat bread, raisins, parsley, and butter but feel free to play around. Perhaps you'd prefer dried cranberries and olive oil -- that would work, too.

PREP: 15 minutes
TOTAL: 25 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Raisin- and Bread-Stuffed Pork Chops

Mediterranean Chicken Stew

Posted by Emma Feigenbaum

This is one of my new favorite recipes, which is a pleasant surprise because for a long time I didn't really care for olives. These days, I'm really into them. They add an assertive salty punch to recipes, and now I absolutely crave them in dishes. Is there an ingredient that you've come to love over the years?

PREP: 30 minutes
TOTAL: 30 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Mediterranean Chicken Stew

SERVE WITH:
Creamy Polenta

Pork Chops with Mango Salsa

Posted by Regan Burns

This is such a great way to jazz up pork chops in a jiffy. Just glaze the pork and flash it under the broiler, then make a fiery, no-cook salsa with fresh mango and chilies. On the side, a simple salad made with veggie-drawer staples is just right.

PREP: 15 minutes
TOTAL: 30 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Pork Chops with Mango Salsa

ON THE SIDE:
Arugula-Cucumber Salad

Spinach Linguine with Ham and Broccoli

Posted by Regan Burns

This easy recipe uses one of my favorite time-saving tricks for pasta dishes -- cook the vegetables in the same pot at the pasta. Just add raw vegetables right before the pasta's ready. There's one less pot to clean and the noodles and vegetables are already mixed together. So easy! Serve this with a veggie-heavy salad to balance the richness of the dish.

PREP: 15 minutes
TOTAL: 30 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Spinach Linguine with Ham and Broccoli

ON THE SIDE:
Crunchy Italian Salad