Superfast Dish-of-the-Day

April 22, 2011
Credit: Randy Mayor
Find a 20-minute recipe everyday throughout the month of May.
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Shrimp Cobb Salad

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Shrimp Cobb Salad

"This simple salad was full of flavors that worked very well together, none overpowered the other. It was light but, filling." —ASHLEYAUTUMN

Typical Cobb salads include chicken and hard-cooked eggs; this riff uses shrimp and corn.

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Falafel Pitas with Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing

Credit: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Falafel Pitas with Cucumber-Yogurt Dressing

Seasoned with mustard, cumin, and paprika, these classic chickpea patties have a great crunchy exterior and zesty flavor. Paired with bitter arugula and a creamy-tangy dressing on pita, they create an easy 10-minute dinner. Toss together lettuce, tomato, some feta cheese, and extra dressing for a nice side salad.

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Grilled Stone Fruit Antipasto Plate

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Grilled Stone Fruit Antipasto Plate

With its deeply flavored dressing and deliciously fresh fruit, this dish can serve as appetizer, salad, or dessert. It's a great introduction to pluots―a cross between a plum and an apricot with the firm texture of the former and the sweet juiciness of the latter. They're pretty commonly available, but you might overlook them if you haven't heard of them.

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Broiled Red Snapper with Ginger-Lime Butter

Credit: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Broiled Red Snapper with Ginger-Lime Butter

Red snapper tastes best when paired with assertive flavors, and this recipe does just that. Pan-searing the fish gives color and caramelized flavor, while the ginger-lime-jalapeño butter on top explodes with freshness and heat. Serve with a hearty side like rice, beans, or rice and beans.

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Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream

Crunchy cilantro slaw and cool, fresh avocado cream are all the dressing these chicken tacos will need.

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Sausage, Tomato, and Arugula Fettuccine

View Recipe: Sausage, Tomato, and Arugula Fettuccine

This recipe is full of bold ingredients like peppery arugula and savory sausage. A sprinkling of shaved pecorino Romano cheese gives a salty bite.

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Beef-Broccoli Stir-Fry

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Beef-Broccoli Stir-Fry

A takeout favorite gets a superfast (and healthy) makeover that everyone will love. Savory sirloin gets a splash of vibrant green and kick of fresh flavor with broccoli florets and sliced green onions. Serve over white rice for a delicious and satisfying meal.

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Open-Faced Sandwiches with Ricotta, Arugula, and Fried Egg

Credit: Photo: John Autry
Surprise the world's best mom with a delicious breakfast in bed. The combination of peppery arugula, creamy ricotta, and salty Parmigiano-Reggiano all topped with a beautiful fried egg will be hard to resist.

View Recipe: Open-Faced Sandwiches with Ricotta, Arugula, and Fried Egg

9 of 31

Vegetarian Chipotle Nachos

Credit: Susan Byrnes
View Recipe: Vegetarian Chipotle Nachos

Convert carnivores into vegetarians (if only temporarily) with this recipe: The meatless crumbles are nearly indistinguishable from ground beef. Add to that the fiery heat of chipotles, creamy avocado and sour cream, and plenty of cheese, and you've got a great plate of nachos. Best of all, this version has only 408 calories per serving and provides nearly half a day's fiber and more than a third of a day's calcium.

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Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana Split Sandwich

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana Split Sandwich

This sweet and decadent kiddie fave actually has a lot of nutritional benefit going for it. One 436-calorie sandwich provides 10 percent of a day's calcium and 4.6 grams of fiber, and is a good source of heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Also, it contains banana, strawberry, pineapple, peanut butter, honey, and chocolate. No wonder it received the Test Kitchen's top rating.

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Melon and Prosciutto Salad with Parmigiano-Reggiano

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Melon and Prosciutto Salad with Parmigiano-Reggiano

Salty and unctuous, prosciutto is a classic match for fresh melon, and a topping of Parmigiano-Reggiano (the real stuff is worth it here) adds another layer of savory flavor. Make this salad the centerpiece of an easy antipasto meal. Serve with a platter of olives, roasted peppers, sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and, if you're feeling ambitious, add your favorite grilled or roasted veggies, too.

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Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

Credit: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

Main-dish salads with just greens can feel insubstantial at times, so this dish adds a base of orzo to fresh arugula, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and basil. Tangy goat cheese gives a luscious creaminess to each bite, and chopped chicken makes for a filling meal. Leave out the chicken and double the other ingredients for a picnic pasta salad that'll drive guests wild.

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13 of 31

Omelet with Summer Vegetables

Credit: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Omelet with Summer Vegetables

Eggs are a great source of protein and other vitamins and minerals, so an omelet makes an excellent meatless supper. For the fluffiest omelet possible, whip the egg mixture until frothy before cooking. Smoked gouda is a wonderful, deeply flavored cheese, but anything you have in the fridge, from cheddar to feta, will work here.

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Catfish Sandwiches with Creole Mayonnaise

Credit: Beau Gustafson
View Recipe: Catfish Sandwiches with Creole Mayonnaise

With its delicate texture and neutral flavor, catfish is perfect for sandwiches like this one. Cooked with spicy Cajun seasoning and topped with a creamy, tangy mustard-mayo mixture, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato, and sweet-salty pickle relish, it's an excellent meal on a bun. And at 319 calories and 11.6 grams of fat, it's also much more healthful than a burger or fried fish.

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Grilled Polenta with Spicy Steak

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Grilled Polenta with Spicy Steak

To make this a quick and simple dinner, look for tubes of prepared polenta in the refrigerated part of the produce section, or prepare our Creamy Polenta a day ahead.

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Poblano, Mango, and Black Bean Quesadillas

Credit: Beau Gustafson
View Recipe: Poblano, Mango, and Black Bean Quesadillas

The ingredients might sound like they'd clash when combined, but this recipe proves that spicy, sweet, and savory go great together. The tangy mango moderates the hot pepper while perking up the beans, and avocado adds creamy texture and healthy fats. Add another layer of flavor by serving with sour cream or your favorite salsa or guacamole for dipping.

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Summer Squash Soup With Pasta and Parmesan

Credit: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Summer Squash Soup With Pasta and Parmesan

When in season, yellow squash and zucchini grow in such abundance they're hard to use up, and even in the winter they're tasty, readily available, and inexpensive. Take advantage with this simple, fresh soup. Fresh herbs, lemon juice, and pasta complement the squash, while a generous topping of Parmesan adds distinctive nutty and salty notes.

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Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca

Chicken cutlets are lined with fresh sage and wrapped with prosciutto in this quick recipe fit for special occasions. Serve this light and savory dish over a bed of angel hair pasta or polenta to catch all the sauce.

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Couscous With Artichokes, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Credit: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Couscous With Artichokes, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Pure and simple flavors stand out in this dish. In each bite, you'll taste the sweet tang of tomatoes, the salty bite of feta, the tender juiciness of chicken, and the briny sweetness of marinated artichoke hearts. Israeli couscous makes the recipe unique―its grains are much larger than regular couscous and they add a chewy texture that's another layer of depth.

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Steak with Cucumber-Radish Salad

Credit: Photo: Joseph De Leo
View Recipe: Steak with Cucumber-Radish Salad

Perfectly seasoned flank steak placed atop a bed of leafy greens makes a divine spring-inspired meal. If you can't find mâche, use butter lettuce.

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White Pizza with Tomato and Basil

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: White Pizza with Tomato and Basil

"We love this recipe and have added it to our weeknight rotation because it is so easy. I like the techinique of heating the pan in the oven first - it really does make for a crispier crust." —DMT4641

Crushed red pepper is optional in this recipe but, if you can take the heat, it will give the flavors in this pizza a kick. Heating a cookie sheet in the oven before you put the pizza on it gives you a crisper crust.

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Coriander-Crusted Tuna with Black Bean Salsa

Credit: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Coriander-Crusted Tuna with Black Bean Salsa

A rub with coriander and cumin gives a warm Southwestern flavor to the tuna and forms a crust when cooked to add textural interest to this dish. The four minutes of cooking the fish are more than enough time to assemble the bean-and-vegetable salsa, which adds valuable nutrients and fiber. Serve the steaks whole, or slice and top with salsa and avocado in tortillas for healthful fish tacos.

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Corn and Summer Vegetable Sauté

Credit: Jeff Kauck
View Recipe: Corn and Summer Vegetable Sauté

All your favorites are here―okra, bell pepper, corn, black beans―cooked through but still crisp and tender for lots of fresh flavor and a shockingly low 90 calories per serving. Feel free to have seconds―or thirds! Serve like a salad with your favorite bread, or fill tortillas for vegetable tacos.

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Seashell Salad with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing

View Recipe: Seashell Salad with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing

Prosciutto, peas, and buttermilk-chive dressing make this Cooking Light recipe the perfect quick-meal contender.

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Chicken Kebabs with Creamy Pesto

View Recipe: Chicken Kebabs with Creamy Pesto

Creamy pesto is the perfect cooling counterpoint to these flavorful chicken kebabs.

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Wild Mushroom, Flank Steak, and Poblano Tacos

Credit: John Autry
View Recipe: Wild Mushroom, Flank Steak, and Poblano Tacos

This Tex-Mex favorite tastes as good as it looks. Please your family by letting everyone choose their own toppings to add to the tacos.

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Brennan's Bananas Foster

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Brennan's Bananas Foster

Any dish you set on fire (on purpose) is guaranteed to impress guests, but this New Orleans classic is so quick and easy you can make it for the family any night. Crème de banane adds a deeper banana flavor, but it's not a part of most home bars―you can leave it out if you want. Ice cream is an absolute must―there's enough caramelly sauce to coat both it and the bananas.

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Avocado Soup with Citrus-Shrimp Relish

Credit: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Avocado Soup with Citrus-Shrimp Relish

This soup is just about the fastest possible recipe: Throw everything in a blender and puree, no cooking involved. The result is a refreshing and creamy main-dish soup that's packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Jalapeño adds just a hint of heat, the tangy shrimp relish gives texture and meatiness, and a nice salty bite from queso fresco tops everything off.

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Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

Credit: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

Want to shave off a few more precious minutes from this superfast recipe? Skip the step of broiling the tortillas and you'll end up with equally tasty soft tacos. Have more time? Pair these light and crispy tostadas with our fresh Mexican soup for a festive meal that's worthy of guests.

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Sliders With Shallot-Dijon Relish

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Sliders With Shallot-Dijon Relish

With their easy but elegant relish, these mini-burgers would make a statement at any outdoor or summertime party, especially served with a refreshing cocktail. You can also use this same recipe to make four regular-sized burgers.

 

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Creole Tomato Salad

Credit: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Creole Tomato Salad

This simple no-cook salad is one of the best ways to highlight heirloom tomatoes, with its counterpoint of pungent raw onion and a light Dijon vinaigrette. You can also make this salad the spotlight of a great BLT (use the dressing in place of mayo), or add sliced mozzarella cheese for a Creole Caprese Salad.

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