Whether you're looking for quick Monday through Friday family dinners or slower-paced weekend cooking plans, you're in the right place. We've combed through thousands of recipes and features and chosen our family-friendly best. From healthy soups to lasagna lessons, we have simple, flavorful plans for feeding the ones you love.

Lasagna in an Hour

After nine years as half of our "30-Minute Main Courses" team, Melanie Barnard is an expert at making delicious entrées in no time. So naturally we knew she would come up with a lasagna recipe that wouldn't require hours in the kitchen. What we didn't know is that it would be twice as good as many lasagnas that take twice as long to prepare.

Melanie uses no-boil noodles — they cook right along with the rest of the lasagna. And instead of making a fussy béchamel sauce, she created a flavorful three-cheese filling. A tomato sauce with red pepper and sausage is a spicy complement.

Never made lasagna before? This is an ideal recipe for beginners. Always slave for hours making the classic? Here is the perfect alternative: Melanie's clever shortcuts have resulted in a dish that takes only about 45 minutes to put together — and that includes making the sauce and the filling. It needs only about an hour in the oven after that. And the way we see it, that's a whole hour of free time for you.

SAUSAGE, CHEESE AND BASIL LASAGNA

6 to 8 servings

SAUCE
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion (do not drain)

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausages, onion, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper and sauté until sausage is cooked through, mashing sausage into small pieces with back of fork, about 10 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with juices. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled.)

FILLING
1 1/2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
1 15-ounce container plus 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups (packed) grated mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Using on/off turns, chop fresh basil leaves finely in processor. Add ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using on/off turns, process filling until just blended and texture is still chunky.

ASSEMBLY
12 no-boil lasagna noodles from one 8-ounce package
3 cups (packed) grated mozzarella cheese (about 12 ounces)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
Nonstick olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 1 1/4 cups sauce in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles on sauce.

Drop 1 1/2 cups filling over noodles, then spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering of sauce, noodles, filling and cheeses 2 more times.

Top with remaining 3 noodles. Spoon remaining sauce atop noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.

Spray large piece of foil with nonstick olive oil spray. Cover lasagna with foil, sprayed side down. Bake lasagna 40 minutes. Carefully uncover. Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Bake until noodles are tender, sauce bubbles thickly and edges of lasagna are golden and puffed, about 20 minutes. Transfer to work surface; let stand 15 minutes before serving.

— Bon Appétit, February 2000

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH RATATOUILLE AND SPINACH

1 cup chopped onion
5 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon plus 3 teaspoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
1 1-pound eggplant, trimmed, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces zucchini
1 cup 1/2-inch pieces red bell pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Pinch of cayenne pepper
4 4- to 5-inch-diameter portobello mushrooms, stems removed
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

1 10-ounce package ready-to-use spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix onion, 3 teaspoons garlic and 1 tablespoon oil in large ovenproof pot. Cover; cook over medium-low heat until onion is very tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Stir in eggplant; cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring often. Stir in next 6 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Cover; bake until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, rounded side down. Cook until bottoms are golden, about 10 minutes. Turn mushrooms over; cook until just tender, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and 2 teaspoons garlic; cook until mushrooms are very tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add spinach; stir until wilted, about 2 minutes. Divide spinach among 4 plates. Top each with 1 mushroom, rounded side down. Fill mushrooms with ratatouille.

Per Serving: calories, 153; total fat, 8g; saturated fat, 1g; cholesterol, 0mg.

Serves 4.

Bon Appétit