Orzo

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, is sold at Italian markets and most supermarkets.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This zesty soup is based on a chicken and curry stew popular in the South. The origin of its name is unclear, but according to one account, it was brought to Savannah in the early 1800s by a sea captain who traveled the spice route from India.

For this osso buco we've substituted lamb shanks for the more traditional veal. We've also borrowed from the Greeks, adding avgolemono, a bright-tasting sauce of eggs, lemon juice, and broth.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In this delicious dish from Asterix & Obelix, the orzo is toasted before it's cooked, giving the pasta a nice nutty flavor.

People who turn their noses up at rice often find this tiny pasta irresistible. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

This is a delicious, low-maintenance alternative to traditional risotto.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 25 min

"Usually I rely on cookbooks or magazines for recipes, but occasionally I develop one of my own," writes Kimberly R. Diamondidis of Germantown, Maryland. "A few years ago, I created this delicious, hearty soup as a new way to enjoy turkey."

Regular button mushrooms are a nice substitute for the portobellos in this side dish.