This recipe calls for flavoring the bread with salt, poppy seeds, and caraway seeds, but the options are virtually endless. You might try curry powder or paprika, which are also delicious. Cracker bread pairs nicely with stews, soups, and salads. For a dramatic and attractive presentation, break the baked bread haphazardly into large pieces and arrange them in baskets.

Parsley and walnuts add extra health benefits to this version of aglio e olio, the Italian classic of spaghetti with garlic and oil. I like using whole-grain pasta made from farro, an ancient form of Italian wheat that tastes mild and nutty. Specialty stores and natural foods markets have this pasta di farro, made by Manicaretti or Latini, while supermarkets, usually sell whole-wheat spaghetti. (Those from DeCecco and Delverde are especially good.)
Fast Fact: Walnuts are the only nut containing ellagic acid, an important antioxidant.
Quick Tip: Roasting the nuts at 350º F. for 5 minutes improves their flavor.

My favoitie carmels

Wonderfully simple. Requires no beating

This Spanish dish is usually prepared in a frying pan. I prefer this method of baking shrimp in the sauce, which noted TV chef Mark Bittman uses in his latest cookbook. It leaves less chance of burning the garlic, which makes the dish taste bitter. When serving this dish as tapas, leave the last segment of the shell when peeling the shrimp, so they are easier to eat as finger food.
Adapted from The Best Recipes In The World, by Mark Bittman (Broadway Books, 2005)

Fast Fact: Puréeing garlic makes it more pungent because it breaks down more cell walls, releasing more aromatic compounds.
Quick Tip: Lining the empty baking dish with foil may eliminate messy clean-up.

Tabbouleh originated in the mountains of Lebanon, where it was a succulent salad of greens with a handful of bulgur added to give the dish body. Today, most versions of tabbouleh use lots of bulgur and a modest amount of parsley and tomatoes, but I stick to the Lebanese way, using a lavish amount of vegetables in proportion to the cracked wheat.
Fast Fact: Bulgur is made from wheat berries that are steamed, dried, and cut up.
Quick Tip: Bulgur comes in three textures. Be sure to get the fine one for this recipe.

Really elegantly delicious. Easy