Tex-Mex

You can also make these with chicken, ham or roast pork.

This recipe makes great use of rotisserie chicken, available at most supermarkets.

Chris Gavenda, Wildwood, Mo.
For those of you who may not know, the tortilla chips form a crispy crust on the bottom of the casserole.

These superb tacos are from chef Alex Castro at the Old Mexico Grill in Santa Fe.

This sauce can be prepared with yellow bell peppers instead of poblano chiles. Both sauces go equally well with the chicken-and they also complement each other nicely. So follow your mood: earthy poblano or sunny, sweet yellow bell pepper-or make half a recipe of each and serve them both. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cornmeal adds a nice crispness to the coating for the chicken. The salsa and the Three-Pepper Slaw with Chipotle Dressing make this a colorful entrée. For drinks, mix up some tequila-lime spritzers by combining a little tequila with fresh lime juice and sparkling water, or uncork a bottle of dry Gewürztraminer.

Offer a colorful side of steamed broccoli with slivers of red and yellow bell peppers and a lemon dressing. Finish lavishly with chocolate pecan pie à la mode.

A stick-to-the-ribs-not-the-waistline chili. Great served with all the usual toppings: chopped red or green onions, chopped cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese (low-fat, of course) and nonfat yogurt.

Serve this on its own, or use it for chalupas, tacos, or nachos.

This dish comes together in no time, especially if you have leftover chicken on hand and use purchased guacamole.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.