Ying's Best One-Dish Meals: Quick & Healthy Recipes for the Entire Family

Children's novelist and cookbook author Compestine (The Runaway Rice Cake) offers a slim but palate-expanding collection of flavor-packed meals that come together in a hurry. Some dishes like beef stew or Pan-seared Salmon with Lemon-Dill Yogurt Sauce are fairly straightforward, but the bulk of the dishes are mash-ups of Asian and other cuisines: Pan-fried Tofu Salad with Green Tea and Honey Dressing, Paprika Shrimp with Turnips and Walnuts, and Spicy Thai-style Cabbage Salad with Garlic Shrimp, to name a few. Compestine's straightforward style and emphasis on ease of preparation will resonate with those who are pressed for time or new to cooking; few recipes call for arcane ingredients or lengthy preparation. Would-be bakers and dessert lovers will likely be disappointed%E2%80%94the seven recipes here are of the add-some-berries-to-ice-cream variety%E2%80%94but harried cooks looking for a simple and flavorful break from routine will find a few new keepers. (Oct.)