Broil

These sandwiches would go well with the vegetable and bean chili.

Leaping off the backs of onion-soup-mix boxes and showing up at cocktail parties everywhere, Lipton’s sour cream-and-onion dip took the country by storm. Convenient and quick, the dip also tasted great on potato chips, without which, in the fifties anyway, it wasn’t a party. These days it isn’t a party without little toasts topped by something Mediterranean-hence this zesty update.

Serve with grilled chicken or fish. Also great with light goat cheese and French bread as an appetizer.

Serve this with the Mushroom Flatbreads or on its own.

Try packaged Asian rice mix (or steamed white rice), and tomato and cucumber salad sprinkled with seasoned rice vinegar. To end, spoon sliced fruits over mango sorbet. Look for the horseradish paste in the Asian foods section or next to the packaged sushi.

Short of time? Then skip the broiling, and serve the crostini cold.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

This quick dessert is like a crustless apple tart. It's a terrific way to use the fruit of the season and a perfect finish for the pork chops

Honey and mint are the special ingredients in this lovely lamb dish.

Store-bought potato chips, heated to crisp and refresh, would make this a very quick hors d'oeuvre.

If you can't find fresh sea scallops, use peeled large shrimp, leaving the tails on. Rice pilaf or orzo would be a good accompaniment.

Offer some fresh strawberries for dessert.

Serve buttered noodles, potato salad or rice pilaf alongside this entree.