Weeknight favorites; readers pick Sunset's best-ever quick and easy dishes

Sunset, Jan, 2004 by Kate Washington

A few months ago, we asked readers to tell us which recipes from Sunset have become their weeknight favorites. We expected to be reminded of easy, delicious dishes that we had all but forgotten, from the decades' worth of recipes in our archives. What we didn't expect was how creatively you have adapted our dishes to your needs, changing the flavor balance of a marinade, substituting ingredients you had on hand, or coming up with innovative ways to save time.

We got submissions from all over the West (and even a few from outside it). From those, we chose these six recipes, which showcase the best of Western flavors, from easy enchiladas to lemon-spiked salmon. Now that you've reminded us of these simple, family-friendly dishes, they've once again become our weeknight favorites.

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Versatile meal in a bowl

When we ran a recipe for Singapore chicken stew from Roxanne Chan last April, Paul Firth and wife Jillian of Cool, California, wanted to try it. But with three children, the Firths look for recipes that save both time and money. So, to capitalize on the ingredients that were least expensive and freshest in his market, Paul substituted ground turkey for the costlier boned, skinned chicken breasts in the original recipe. The spinach we called for didn't look fresh at his market, so he bought a vibrant-looking bunch of bok choy instead. He writes that the stew "was bursting with flavor. I must confess that Jill and I fed the kids a frozen pizza and ate the soup--all of it. Since then, it has become a family favorite."

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Singapore Turkey Stew

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 45 minutes

MAKES: 4 servings

NOTES: If you can't find Chinese five spice, substitute equal parts ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, and ground anise seeds.

     1 pound ground lean turkey
   1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice
       (see notes)
   1/2 teaspoon hot chili flakes
   1/2 teaspoon salt
     2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
     1 tablespoon vegetable oil
     2 cloves garlic, peeled and
       minced
     1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
     1 can (13 1/2 oz.) coconut milk
     1 can (14 1/2 oz.) fat-skimmed
       chicken broth
     1 head bok choy (12 oz.), rinsed,
       stem end trimmed, and cut
       into 1-inch pieces
     1 can (14 oz.) baby corn, drained
     2 Roma tomatoes (about 8 oz.
       total), rinsed, cored, and
       chopped
   1/4 cup drained canned sliced
       water chestnuts
   1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
     1 tablespoon lime juice
     3 tablespoons chopped fresh
       cilantro leaves

1. In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, five spice, chili flakes, and salt. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Pour flour onto a large rimmed plate and roll balls in flour to coat lightly.

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2. Pour oil into a 4- to 5-quart nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in a single layer. Cook, turning frequently, until lightly browned all over and barely pink in the center (cut to test), 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.

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3. Add garlic and ginger to pan and stir just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add coconut milk, broth, and meat-balls; bring to a simmer. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.

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4. Stir in bok choy, baby corn, tomatoes, water chestnuts, green onions, and lime juice and cook, stirring often, until bok choy leaves are wilted and stems are barely tender to bite, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve from pan.

Per serving: 463 cal., 66% (306 cal.) from fat; 27 g protein; 34 g fat (21 g sat.); 16 g carbo (4.4 g fiber); 534 mg sodium; 85 mg chol.

Convenient comfort food

These rich and easy enchiladas come from Sunset's 1969 cookbook Favorite Recipes I, which Donna Barasch of Villa Park, California, says is a standby for her. "Of the 250-plus cookbooks I own, it's one of the few that I would save in case of a fire," she writes. To save time, she replaces the original recipe for a homemade chili-tomato sauce with a jar of medium-hot salsa; in our tests, red and green salsas were both delicious. Barasch also buys shredded cheese to save time, and when she has leftover turkey, she shreds and freezes the meat so that she has the main ingredient for this hearty, warming meal on hand.

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ON OUR COVER

Turkey Enchiladas with Sour Cream

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 40 minutes

MAKES: 6 servings

NOTES: Use any favorite, good-quality salsa, red or green, for these enchiladas. The recipe is a great way to use up leftover holiday turkey, but if you don't have turkey on hand, shredded cooked chicken is a good substitute. Serve the enchiladas with a simple Mexican coleslaw of shredded cabbage dressed with lime juice and cumin.

     3 cups shredded skinned cooked
       turkey (see notes)
     2 cups sour cream
       About 2 cups shredded sharp
       cheddar cheese (8 oz.)
     1 teaspoon salt
   1/3 cup vegetable oil
    12 corn tortillas
     1 jar (16 oz.) medium-hot salsa
       (see notes)