My love of cooking started when I was trying to earn my Girl Scout cooking badge. My family savors the sweet sauce on these skewers. --Joanne Haldeman, Bainbridge, Pennsylvania
Deciding to start eating healthy, I took a classic carrot and raisin salad recipe and lightened it up, then added apples for extra flavor. I took this dish to a weight-loss group meeting...and they loved it! --Kim Jones of Collinsville, Illinois
This recipe for ma po tofu, a Chinese stir-fry, is simple to make and good for you, too. Add a side of chilled melon and a cold glass of dry riesling for a satisfying supper.
For perfect apple cubes: Stand the apple on your cutting board and cut down into four slabs; discard the core. Lay slabs, cut sides down, and cut into 1/2-inch slices, then crosswise into 1/2-inch cubes.
ORIGINALLY a pear crumble pie, I shortened this to a crumble when I often was too short of time to make a pie crust. I've also found canned pears work as well as fresh, so that makes it even easier to prepare. -Kezia Sullivan, Sackets Harbor, New York
Eggplant, ginger, garlic, shrimp and beef get sauteed and spiced-up, Szechuan style. Chicken stock and soy sauce provide the base for the thick, tasty sauce.
Root vegetables and lentils cook all day in a slow cooker with a mixture of spices to deliver a comforting, vegan-friendly soup perfect for a chilly fall dinner.
Black beans mingle with onions, peppers, garlic, cornmeal, and spices in this tasty taco filling. Try it in burritos or as a dip for tortilla chips. No black beans? Red, pink, or pinto beans are great subs.
This recipe is the closest I've come to imitating the heavenly Phad Thai I had in London. It's a little sweeter than the Phad Thai dishes I've tried in the U.S. Raw cabbage and/or carrots may also be served on the side.
We love to cook on the grill at our house. I've used this flavorful salmon recipe several times and we always enjoy it. The parsley, rosemary and green onions help make the tender fillets a tempting main dish that looks impressive. -Monell Nuckols, Carpinteria, California
This Spicy Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potato recipe contains rice vermicelli, boneless chicken thighs, vegetable oil, sweet potato, chicken broth and more.