Shrimp

Serve over steamed basmati rice. Garam masala, a spice mixture, is available at Indian markets and some supermarkets.

Vegetables from the supermarket salad bar get an Asian spin. Start with purchased wonton soup, and serve a mixed green salad with ginger vinaigrette alongside the rice. Sliced pineapple with coconut sorbet is the perfect finish. Look for hoisin at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets.

Don't let the unappetizing-sounding name fool you: I'm talking about mold as in "shape" here. I'm from New Orleans, which means I grew up with a lot of socializing, most of it centered around food. There, both the front door and the refrigerator door are always open for friends or family who drop in. My mother always seems to have a steady stream of visitors, whether it's a neighbor who's stopped by for tea, one of her many siblings who happen by at dinnertime, or me with a whole troop of friends in for Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest. True New Orleanian that she is, she always has something good to eat. This seafood mold is a common dish at parties all around the city, and as improvisation is the hallmark of New Orleans cooking, each chef has her own version. I haven't gotten to the stage where I've made my own mark on this recipe yet, so I just copy Mom's. This mold needs to be made at least a few hours in advance in order to give it time to set, but it's a delicious centerpiece to any hors d'oeuvres table. You can serve it with crackers, with thinly sliced, toasted French bread, or with vegetables. Sometimes Mom even serves this in boiled-egg halves, as a New Orleans–style variation on deviled eggs. Be creative!

Gamberi Aragonati Big shrimp crusted with garlic and crunchy bread crumbs were always a part of our family's Christmas Eve celebration. My father would peel and stuff pans full of fresh sweet shrimp, which would disappear faster than you can say Buon Natale! Easy to do, they are a pleasure to enjoy any time of the year. Don't forget the last squeeze of fresh lemon juice; it really brings out the flavor of the shrimp. Aragonati appears to be a dialect word for gratinati, meaning food that is baked under a browned crust. It has nothing to do with the herb oregano, though it is often misspelled oreganati.

Use packaged prewashed mixed baby greens to make this salad in practically no time. A chilled Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with the dish's fresh, bright flavors.

"I recently took out-of-town guests to Zarela in Manhattan for an authentic Mexican meal," writes Kelly Sfarra of Hawthorne, New York. "Everything was fantastic, but the shrimp with chipotle chilies was especially memorable. Can you please get the recipe?" After a trip to Veracruz, Mexico, chef Zarela Martínez came up with this dish, which is called camarones enchipotlados at the restaurant. A bowl of rice and some warm corn tortillas would be great with the spicy, smoky shrimp.

If you can get fresh shelled peas, cook them in a pan of boiling water until they are just tender, 3 to 5 minutes, then drain and toss them with the chives, zest, and pepper. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

"Athens, Georgia, has a great restaurant called The Basil Press," writes Linda Buchman of Hilton Head, South Carolina. "During my last visit there, chef Andrew Urell prepared an angel hair pasta with curried crab and shrimp. I'd love to try making it at home." At the restaurant, this is served as a side dish for grilled salmon.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

Round out this menu with a salad of snow peas, cherry tomatoes, and bean sprouts dressed with a rice-wine vinaigrette. For dessert, sliced kiwis splashed with rum would be good. Look for the curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, and jasmine rice in the Asian foods section of your supermarket.

The shrimp could also be skewered and grilled instead of broiled. Either way, they're lovely arranged atop pimiento-flecked rice pilaf and served with steamed snow peas and a basket of warm corn muffins. Blueberry or strawberry shortcakes are the perfect dessert.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

This crowd-pleasing dip is a natural with potato chips and good with crudités, too.