This chowder, made with half-and-half instead of cream, has a lighter consistency than traditional, heavy chowders. Be sure not to let it come to a boil because it will curdle. It can be made early in the day, but wait to cook the shrimp until just before serving so they don’t overcook.

PER SERVING: 340 calories, 21.5 g total fat (10.5 g saturated fat), 21 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 175 mg cholesterol, 645 mg sodium, 2 g fiber

The closing of her favorite Mexican restaurant spurred life member Emily E. Lane to try to recreate a much-loved dish. Although she runs a baking business from her home, this is the first original recipe Emily has developed. It’s full of shrimp and crab, and covered with a creamy cheese sauce.

PER SERVING: 460 calories, 23.5 g total fat (12.5 g saturated fat), 27.5 g protein, 33 g carbohydrate, 130 mg cholesterol, 1180 mg sodium, 1.5 g fiber

Life member Meg Campbell says she loves to entertain. For one holiday party, she had to create a dish that would appeal to a guest from China, who didn’t like American food. Meg decided to use shrimp, vegetables and linguine, figuring that the pasta would be a reasonable substitute for Asian noodles. Her solution worked. The dish was received enthusiastically, and the guests cleaned their plates. Meg recommends serving the pasta with garlic bread.

PER SERVING: 305 calories, 7.5 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 24.5 g protein, 34.5 g carbohydrate, 165 mg cholesterol, 505 mg sodium, 3.5 g fiber

Nothing is fresher than tender spring vegetables. Treat them simply and with bright flavors as in this sauté of leeks, carrots, peas and shrimp. Use 12 ounces of fresh peas in their pods to get about 1 cup fresh peas. Serve over couscous or rice.

TIP *If using frozen peas, add with shrimp.

PER SERVING: 210 calories, 8 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 20.5 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 160 mg cholesterol, 550 mg sodium, 4 g fiber

To prepare the asparagus for this salad, we found that broiling concentrates the flavor of the asparagus and lightly caramelizes the peel. We prefer to use thin (under 5/8-inch) asparagus under the broiler-this lets us skip the peeling step and allows the spears to cook more evenly.

Do not substitute lowfat or skim milk for the whole milk in this recipe. To ensure a sticky and crisp topping, make the topping just before baking. Walnuts can be substituted for the pecans.

This moist cake gets even better when served with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Marinating the onions in the hot vinaigrette mellows their flavor. These beans pair nicely with our Turkey Cutlets with Cherry Sauce.

White potatoes can be used instead of Red Bliss, but their skins lack the rosy color of Red Bliss skins. Try to get potatoes of equal size; if that’s not possible, test the larger potatoes for doneness. If only larger potatoes are available, increase the cooking time by about 10 minutes. Check for doneness with a paring knife.

To crush the corn flakes, place them inside a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to break them into pieces no smaller than 1/2 inch.

Want to serve Oven-Fried Chicken after work? Marinate the chicken in the buttermilk mixture and combine the dry ingredients in a zipper-lock bag (all but the oil) the night before or in the morning before heading out. When you come home, all you’ll have to do is heat the oven, toss the crumb mixture with oil, coat the chicken, and bake.