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 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.

Mirin, a sweet Japanese rice wine, is a key component of teriyaki; it can be found in the international section of most major supermarkets and in most Asian markets. If you cannot find it, use 2 tablespoons white wine and an extra teaspoon of sugar. If desired, low-sodium soy sauce can be used in place of regular soy sauce. Serve with steamed rice, preferably short grain. To keep the skin on the chicken crisp, hold back the teriyaki sauce until serving time.

Mirin, a sweet Japanese rice wine, is a key component of teriyaki; it can be found in the international section of most major supermarkets and in most Asian markets. If you cannot find it, use 2 tablespoons white wine and an extra teaspoon of sugar. If desired, low-sodium soy sauce can be used in place of regular soy sauce. Serve with steamed rice, preferably short grain.

If you prefer to serve whole bone-in thighs and thereby skip the step of boning the chicken, trim the thighs of excess skin and fat, position the oven rack about 12 inches from the heat source, and increase the broiling time to 20 to 26 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through the cooking time. This recipe was developed to work in an in-oven broiler, not the drawer-type broiler typical of older gas ovens. Mirin, a sweet Japanese rice wine, is a key component of teriyaki; it can be found in the international section of most major supermarkets and in most Asian markets. If you cannot find it, use 2 tablespoons white wine and an extra teaspoon of sugar. If desired, low-sodium soy sauce can be used in place of regular soy sauce. Serve with steamed rice, preferably short grain.

When hosting a barbecue, it is generally a good idea to offer a choice of at least two different grilled meats, and you usually cannot go wrong making chicken one of them. Chicken breasts marinated in lemon and herbs are a nice contrast to barbecued ribs or other rich meats.

Love potato pancakes but hate the tedious steps of peeling, shredding, and squeezing excess moisture from the potatoes? The Cook’s Country team discovered that frozen shredded hash-brown potatoes are a surprisingly effective shortcut. Don’t want to fry potato pancakes on the stovetop? A preheated oiled baking sheet delivers almost as much crispness, with far less mess.

The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the potatoes. Large potatoes (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter will require the full 18 minutes; potatoes that are less than 1 inch in diameter may be done in just 8 minutes.

Try to purchase fillets that are of similar size, and avoid those that weigh less than 5 ounces because they will cook too quickly. A nonstick skillet ensures that the fillets will release from the pan, but for the sauce a traditional skillet is preferable because its light-colored surface will allow you to monitor the color of the butter as it browns.