What's For Dinner?

A Classic Italian Meal

By Allison Huller McAlister

Are you tired of fixing the same old boring meals over and over, night after night? Is your family tired of eating them? I was in the same predicament a few years ago and vowed to try at least one new recipe each week in order to add to my limited collection of mainstay dinners. We rate each meal on a one- to five-star scale, and the four- and five-star dishes get added to the rotation of family regulars.

When I think back to what we were eating for dinner five years ago, probably cycling through about 10 different main dishes again and again, I wonder why in the world I didn't start this sooner. I now have a huge library of dinner favorites from which to choose, and I'm still trying out new recipes every week. My family is forever grateful.

Would you like to start trying out new recipes but don't have the time to prepare a meal that might turn out to be awful? Don't you wish you could make a new meal for your family that you already know should be good? Welcome to my column, where you'll find recipes for a complete meal that's been taste-tested and given the seal of approval from a few food aficionados – my family and myself.

Recipes for a main dish, sides and a dessert will be featured in each article, and each one will be rated in three separate categories: ease of preparation, kid appeal and overall. Ratings will range from one to five stars, with one star being the worst and five stars the best. All recipes featured received a four- or five-star overall rating, so it's a safe bet that you'll have a hit meal on your hands.

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