Turn Ripe Tomatoes into Bruschetta With the crop reaching its height, it is time for my annual paean to sun-warmed, vine-ripened, local tomatoes. Add a little variety without too much fuss -- chop up a few tomatoes and season them to spoon on top of bruschetta.

A Summery Shrimp Stir-Fry Chinese cooking calls for thoughtfully combining the artistic and the practical. This dish balances sweet, tart, earthy and bright seafood flavors in foods that are crisp, tender, chewy and juicy with just enough salt to enhance them all.

Learning the Tricks of the Trade At least sixty percent of us learn kinesthetically, that is, by doing. In addition, performing meaningful tasks, especially unfamiliar ones that a novice cook is likely to encounter in the kitchen, builds confidence. Lack of confidence is a barrier that keeps many people out of the kitchen in the first place.

A Grill, a Green Salad, a Great Dish One of my all-time favorite dishes illustrates how, using the right combination of ingredients, simple dishes can be outstanding. It is a dish I discovered while traveling in Italy and it is made using just four ingredients.

Fish in a Flash Stir up some classic Asian flavors with this easy, versatile recipe. This seafood favorite is a great way to avoid heating up the oven on a hot summer evening; a quick stir-fry and dinner is ready in minutes.

Asparagus, Thyme and Tomato Halibut It's hard to beat a dish that's beautiful, flavorful, nutritious and easy to prepare. This week's recipe earns high marks in all four categories and takes advantage of seasonal asparagus - now at its peak at most farmers' markets.

Give Vegetable Soup a Spanish Accent Traditionally cooked in an iron or heavy earthenware pot called an olla, there are many versions of this dish. While many include some form of pork, others are meatless, like this one.

Spring into Healthy Dining When combined with tender onions and sweet peas, these versatile turkey cutlets are the perfect dish to help usher in spring. From start to finish, this satisfying meal is swiftly prepared in just 30 minutes.

A Fresh Way With Fish When you first hear the words en papillote, the French term sounds refined, even pretentious. Yet this simple method of preparing fish roasted in foil is actually quite modest.

Cabbage Salad, Sichuan-Style Whether you prefer Sichuan, the new spelling, or Szechwan, the old one, the cooking from this province of southern China is known for its extreme heat.

Getting to Know the Mushroom September is National Mushroom Month and there's a lot to celebrate. Mushrooms, which have no cholesterol and virtually no fat or sodium, can be an important part of a healthy diet. Article includes recipe for Mushroom-Spinach Saute.

Getting Creative with Broccoli I love a culinary challenge, which is why I decided to eat broccoli every day for a week, but in a different form each time. I made a soup, a stir-fry, a casserole, a salad, a quesadilla, a drink and a dip. Should you eat broccoli every day? It is a powerhouse vegetable, so it would be a health-savvy thing to do.

Marinated Artichokes Fit For a Star If you have only experienced bottled or canned artichokes, you must try the fresh version at least once. Understanding that you may hesitate to wrestle with fresh artichokes, we've created directions that simplify trimming away their tough outer leaves and spiky tips. Includes recipe for Marinated Artichokes.

Canned Salmon is a Good Choice Research keeps offering more reasons for eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly salmon. Canned salmon is a great choice because most of it is wild fish and costs perhaps one-tenth of what fresh wild salmon does. Includes recipe for Salmon Cakes.