Cucumber

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Here's a light way with stuffed vegetables.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This cool salsa is the ideal accompaniment for grilled shrimp.

Feta cheese, cucumber, tomato and fresh dell enliven this simple salad.

A quick low-fat, no-cholesterol side dish.

"My grandmother, who was a successful restaurateur from C″rdoba, Spain, hesitantly relinquished her gazpacho recipe to me," says Lawrence Saez of San Francisco, CA. This nourishing cold soup is ideal for a hot summer day and is best enjoyed with a glass of Manzanilla Sherry.

I first tasted this Cantonese pickle in a commercial version that I bought in Seattle's International District. The pickle contained stem ginger, in thick pieces so tender that you could eat them right along with the other vegetables. If you happen to grow your own ginger, by all means use the stems in this recipe. Otherwise, include the ginger just as a flavoring. The children who have tasted this pickle love it just as much as the adults do.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 40 min

Donna Knowlton of Atlanta, Georgia, writes: "As the oldest of five children growing up in rural West Virginia, I was always helping in the kitchen. My husband is a doctor and works long hours, but we still like sharing a meal at the end of the day. I don't want to be in the kitchen late at night making something complicated, so I rely on dishes that can be ready in minutes." Donna brought back this version of the classic recipe from a trip to Athens.

If you make the components of this hors d'oeuvre ahead, stir together the filling ingredients just before serving the first batch. Keep the remaining filling chilled, covered, and spoon it into the remaining cucumber cups as platters need replenishing.

Look for red curry paste in the Asian section of the supermarket. Serve with: Lentil and rice pilaf and sautéed mixed vegetables. Dessert: Sliced papaya and mango.