Weeknight Meals

The dressing can also be used for Chinese chicken salad or as a basting sauce for grilled steaks or chops. Look for rice vinegar in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In this entrée, balsamic vinegar gives tartness to a cream sauce that balances nicely with the pork and figs. Sautéed spinach or chard would go well with the dish.

The delicate 1/16-inch-wide pasta ribbons known as taglierini or tagliolini are the perfect foil for scallops and this elegant-and easy-sauce.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For a nice accompaniment to the fish, try steamed baby red potatoes and a crunchy cucumber and snow pea salad. Think ahead for dessert: Grill some thick pineapple slices before you cook the salmon; after the meal, top the pineapple with tropical fruit sorbet (such as mango) and a generous splash of rum.

Curry powder, cumin, and cinnamon give this dish a hint of the exotic.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

These chicken wings, inspired by a Macanese recipe, bring together flavors of Portugal, China, and Africa, which were connected through the trade routes and colonization of Macau.

The breadcrumbs crust, known as persillade in France, is excellent with lamb. This makes an elegant meal when served with new potatoes and green beans.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Standard fare at church suppers throughout the region. New England meat loaves often use crushed crackers rather than bread crumbs as a binder. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.