Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen

This was on one of those handy-dandy recipe cards in Cook's Country, long ago. It is unfailingly reliable and a real crowd pleaser. It is really, really easy.   I've simplified it a bit more by using a pound of Italian sausage and bread crumbs that have no Italian seasonings.   I also use my favorite pizza sauce  instead of a jarred marinara.  I usually have a cup or so stashed in my freezer, so that makes it very simple for me. Also, you won't find an easier or more delicious sauce anywhere. Just try it once and see what you think.    Meatball Subs   1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1-1/4 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef 3/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs with Italian seasonings 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon table salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 4 (6-inch) Italian sub rolls, split lengthwise 1-1/3 cups jarred marinara sauce 4 slices deli provolone cheese (4 ounces) BEFORE YOU BEGIN Our favorite premium jarred sauce is Victoria

There isn't an easier pizza sauce around. Or one that is tastier. It also freezes well. This is from Pizza: Any Way You Slice It by Charles & Michele Scicolone. It's my favorite pizza cookbook.  Pizza Sauce  Makes about 3 cups   2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped  Pinch of crushed red pepper  3 tablespoons olive oil  1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes  1 teaspoon dried oregano  Salt (though I almost never use it)   In a large skillet, cook the garlic and red pepper in the oil over medium heat until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, or 10-15 minutes. Let cool before spreading on pizza dough. Keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 1 month. (I've used it after a year and it is still good.)

This is from Bon Appetit and you can find it online on Epicurious . It was really delicious. The only problem we had was that the mixture was rather soft when forming patties. Looking over the comments there was a person from Egypt who said that canned garbanzos are too mushy and soaking dried ones for 24 hours is the proper way to do it. Without cooking them at all. This blew our minds and I began pulling out cookbooks that were the closest to primary sources as I had. They agreed! My goodness! We will be going on an adventure the next time we make these, but in the meantime the recipe below works well and is simply delicious. We're going to double the sauce next time but that's really the only change, aside from the fact that we didn't have pita bread so wrapped them in flour tortillas instead. Delicious! Falafel with Cilantro Yogurt in Pita Bread Makes 4 servings Ingredients 1 cup plain yogurt 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 cup chopped onion 5 large gar

This is easy and really delicious, from Cook's Country. The chicken is delicious but the genius comes from cooking the vegetables in the pan that the chicken browned in so it picks up extra flavor. I loved the way that the cherry tomatoes get cooked just enough by adding them to the pan the cauliflower is in, off heat. I served it with Garlic Naan (from the freezer, thanks to a recent visit to a local India Bazaar). Delicious! And perfectly suited to the tone of the meal. Coriander Chicken Thighs with Cauliflower and Herbed Yogurt Serves 4 8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed 1-1/4 teaspoons table salt, divided 1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon pepper, divided 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 head cauliflower (2 pounds), cored and cut into 1-inch florets 10 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus 1/2 cup torn leaves (or fresh basil) 1 tablespoon lemon

From Beyond the Great Wall , another of the wonderful books by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. This is an unusual dish — a warm salad from Inner Mongolia — which the authors posit may be a fusion dish of some kind, possibly with a Russian influence. The sauce is literally a ground beef dressing which is delicious. I turned it into a main dish by doubling it — which worked well — and the simple expediency of serving it with rice. Oh, so very good ... and it looked just like the picture in the book. It will not only make your taste buds sit up and sing but will be easy on the budget as well. Beef-Sauced Hot Lettuce Salad About 4 packed cups coarsely torn romaine lettuce Dressing 1 tablespoon peanut oil or vegetable oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon minced ginger 1/2 pound (1 packed cup) ground beef 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste 1 tablespoon Jinjiang (black rice) vinegar, or to taste 1/2 cup warm water 2 teaspoons cornstarch