Weeknight Meals

"We dine at the Meridian Café whenever we're in Louisville. The portobello mushroom sandwich is our favorite," say Libby and Roys Ellinas of La Grange, Kentucky. "It has a tangy, creamy sauce that we would love to know how to make." Prepare this sandwich with any favorite bread — crusty country bread or artisan-style rolls would be especially good.

In this take on a classic salad, we combine bulgur with the usual tomatoes, green onions, parsley and mint, then add garbanzo beans and broiled lamb for a change of pace.

The olives can marinate before starting the stew, which cooks in just over 30 minutes.

Try this as part of a barbecue buffet.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For dinner in a matter of minutes, try this Mediterranean-flavored main course.

"Dinner at J. Alexander’s in nearby Troy is a treat my family enjoys regularly, and there’s one thing we always order: the chicken soup. says Katie Randlett of Wixom, Michigan."Although it sounds ordinary, this version definitely isn’t — it has a rich, creamy texture, and it’s full of goodies like pasta, sugar snap peas and carrots." Sugar snap peas add crunch to this comforting soup. The restaurant uses penne pasta, but macaroni would also work well.

A mix of butternut and acorn squash makes this soup silky and flavorful. Keep it bubbling on the stove to warm up any roaming ghosts and goblins as they return home from their Halloween rounds.

The relish is also a delicious complement to grilled lamb or chicken.

Probably the Shakers' greatest gift to American cookery was their knowledge and liberal use of herbs, which were relied upon to vary and enliven standard dishes. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

From the Spa at Doral in Miami.

Nasi goreng, which is Indonesian for fried rice, is a staple in Indonesia. It's delicious on its own for lunch or as a side dish for an Asian-style dinner.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The recipe calls for both chicken broth and beef broth, but using either one or the other will give an equally good result.