Stew

The lamb in this recipe is blanched to make a light-colored stew. Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Gouvej Claire S. Kedeshian of New York, New York, writes: "I am Armenian-American, and I would love to share a recipe of mine with you and your readers. It's for a traditional vegetable stew that has been made by my family for over three generations."

Colcannon (Mashed Potatoes with Kale ) and steamed asparagus tossed with lemon juice strike the right note alongside this braised beef dish. Rhubarb pie from the bakery is our choice for dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

To make this a vegetarian chili, use an additional eight ounces of lentils instead of the pound of ground beef.

Similar to the Latin posole, this stew would be terrific with yellow rice (there are several supermarket choices) and an avocado, grapefruit and red onion salad. Cinnamon-spiced brownies make a good dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Accompany the chowder with saltines or Crown Pilot crackers. A side of steamed broccoli with lemon dressing is also nice, as are individual pecan pies á la mode for dessert.

A low-fat sausage will work here, though it will not produce as flavorful a gumbo.

Braising brings out the best in oxtails, the star of this long-simmered stew. It is garnished with bright green sugar snap peas for a contemporary touch.

Ragoût de petits L
égumes au Parmesan et Vinaigre Balsamique Also nice as a meatless entrée—with some crusty French bread, of course.

Use alphabets or little stars, orzo, or tiny circles. Or use a combination of them all. The child in your life will love this, and so will the child in you.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes A simple ragout of shellfish and sausage, so easy to prepare it's almost a heat-and-serve dish. Cook the shallots and garlic, then the sausage, add the wine and rosemary, then the mussels, which will release their juices into the pan, and finish with the parsley and bread crumbs — a rustic, spicy, brothy dish to be eaten with good crusty bread.

(Beef Goulash Soup)

In Austria, warming bowls of goulash soup are served in all kinds of establishments — from quick-service restaurants along the Autobahn to Vienna's elegant Hotel Bristol. This hearty beef and vegetable soup can be found in many areas of central and eastern Europe, especially in regions that were once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Our satisfying rendition has chunks of beef and potato plus red peppers, bacon, onions, and garlic, all fragrant with paprika.

The grill adds a sophisticated smoky quality to this dish, but you can make it from beginning to end using only the oven.