If you’re looking to save a little money, check out the $10 Spot recipes for Veggie-Loaded Spicy Peanut Noodles, which I already added to the list of recipes I plan on trying (located in the left hand sidebar), Biscuit-Crusted Sausage-Egg Pie, Chicken Fajita Salad with Poblano-Buttermilk Dressing, Roasted Tomatoes with Shrimp-and-Garlic-Bread Stuffing, and Beef-and-Portobello Minestroganoff.

This month’s 30 minute meals section includes recipes for Garlic and Oil Spaghetti with Greens, Cod with Chorizo and Almond-Green Bean Rice, Cure-a-Cold Spring Chicken Soup, Fancy Tuna Melts, French Spring Chicken Pot, Salmon Pasta with Poppy and Dill, Penne with Peas and Ricotta, Smoked Paprika Gazpacho, Saltimbocca with Baby Pasta Primavera, and Napa Noodles. Right now I am pretty sure I will be making all of the chicken dishes listed there….

In the No-Recipe Zone, Editor-in-chief Silvana Nardone shares her recipe for mega-meatball subs. Daisy Martinez’s Mucho Gusto column offers a recipe for the exotic-sounding Tamarind-Glazed Chicken Thighs.

I love the section of the magazine where you add a few ingredients to the Every Day Kitchen to create some great meals. This time, add mango, brie and swordfish to your shopping list to create Mango Salsa with Chips, Coconut Mango Chicken with Black Beans, Swordfish with Pineapple Relish, Grilled Brie and Fig Sandwiches, and Fruit-and-Brie Quesadillas.

I found this to be a breeze to make, with only one complaint. We never use bitters in our house, so I was a little bitter about buying the bitters. I’ll have to go find a good cocktail to try to use some of it up now. However, there was the added bonus of helping me to use up the three bags of frozen peas in my freezer that I just noticed. Every little bit helps!

This recipe is another good way to get yourself out of the old chicken and rice rut. The basics are still there, but definitely jazzed up with some fun flavors. I cut the recipe in half, but made the entire recipe for the sauce and it turned out great.

Here’s the recipe with my comments in brackets:

1/4 cup honey
Juice of 2 limes, plus wedges for serving
1 tablespoon bitters, such as Angostura
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 pounds chicken cutlets or tenders, sliced into thin strips [I like using the thin cutlets since it cuts down on the amount of slicing to make thin strips.]
2 bunches scallions, sliced on an angle into 2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
One 6-ounce box rice pilaf mix, prepared according to package directions
1/4 cup blanched almonds, toasted

1. In a small bowl, mix together the honey, lime juice and bitters and stir to dissolve the honey.

2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat until smoking. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the scallions and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the honey sauce; toss for 1 minute to coat.

3. Stir the peas and cilantro into the prepared rice. Add the nuts and fluff with a fork.

4. Transfer the rice to a platter; using a slotted spoon, mound the chicken over the rice. Serve with the lime wedges.

Editor Silvana Nardone carries on with her No Recipe Zone, this time with Sloppy Joe Pizza Pockets. I’ll take two, please. In her Mucho Gusto column, Daisy Martinez provides a recipe for Guava Turnovers.

In the 30 Minute Meals section, you’ll find recipes for French Onion and Wild Mushroom Soup, Greens with Eggs and Ham, Lasagna Stoup, Lamb Chops with Spinach Rice Pilaf, Enchilada Suiza Mexican Lasagna, Fancy Manchego Mac with Chorizo, Spinach-Artichoke French Bread Pizza, Tangerine Barbecue Chicken and Curry Couscous, Penne Avvocato, and Fajita Nachos. I have to say this is the most appealing list of 30 Minute Meals I’ve seen in awhile. Other than the lamb, I think I might have to try them all!

If you’re interested in saving a buck, make sure to check out this month’s $10 Spot. There are recipes for: Sweet Potato-and-Ham Fritters, Cheesy Hash Brown Chili, Chipotle Pork Quesadillas, Roasted Garlic-and-Spinach White Pizza, and Ratatouille Stew with Goat Cheese Crisps. Not too bad for inexpensive recipes, huh?

This issue also includes a list of America’s Greatest Steakhouses, a feature on how slow cookers are making a comeback, a top 10 budget party ideas list, a ranking of the best hummus in the US, and a collection of the best snack foods out there.

I think I may be a fan of Tracey Seaman because I tend to love every recipe in the magazine with her name on it! This is another one of Tracey’s recipes and I will definitely be making it again.

The first thing that appealed to me was the short ingredients list. When I write my menu each week (sadly, I even post it on the side of the fridge), I’ve been starting with the weekly ads for my local grocery store to choose proteins. This week, pork loin was on sale, so that’s how this one ended up on our table.

Now, there’s nothing crazy spectacular about this meal. It’s a solid, easy, and flavorful weeknight choice that you can have done in 30 minutes or less, so give it a try! I served it with brown rice. Here’s the recipe with my comments in brackets:

1 pound boneless pork loin
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 eggplants (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup store-bought stir-fry sauce

1. Cut the pork into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then cut the slices into 1/4-inch-thick slivers. [You really do want them nice and thin so they will cook faster.] Toss with 2 tablespoons cornstarch.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat. Add the scallions and garlic; cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the pork and cook, stirring, until just no longer pink, 3 minutes. [This took about 5 minutes on my stove, but I may have cooked it too long.] Transfer to a bowl.

3. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the skillet, add the eggplant and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together the chicken broth, stir-fry sauce and remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch; pour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the pork mixture to the skillet and stir until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

This month’s issue has a whole bunch of soup recipes sprinkled throughout its pages. We’ve had 70 degree days lately here in Northern California, but recently got hit with dreary rainy days, so soup sounds perfect. You’ll find recipes for White Bean Stew, Spicy Gazpacho Shooters, Baked Potato Soup, Eggplant Raviolini Soup, Pasta e Fagioli with Sausage, Hot or Cold Carrot Soup, and Sausage Minestrone with Tortellini.

The mag also has features on Valentine’s Day for singles and couples, chicken wing recipes for the Super Bowl (Spicy Chocolate Wings, Sticky PB&J Wings, and Italian Mozzarella Wings), and some cast iron pizzas for gourmet cooking at home (including Tomato-and-Cheese Pizza Ham-and-Swiss Pizza, and Chicken Pot Pizza). There’s also the mag’s first ever reader survey, where you can learn all about what other ERR readers are thinking.

The Burger of the Month is The Adirondacker. I pretty much love any burger recipe that begins with “The,” so I’ll have to try this one.

In my favorite 30 Minute Meals section, you’ll find Smoky Red Rice and Chorizo with Black Beans, Eggplant Raviolini Soup, Flatiron Steaks with Cheesy, Tangy Mashed Potatoes, “Cabbage and Hay” Spaghetti, Sloppy Porchetta, Mushroom Marsala Pappardelle, Deconstructed Lasagna, Horseradish Mac ‘n’ Cheddar with Bacon, Leek-and-Gnocchi Bake with Three Cheeses and Crispy Prosciutto, and Pasta e Fagioli with Sausage. Geez, how can I pick among all those? I’m thinking I’ll try the Leek and Gnocchi Bake and the Paste e Fagioli first.

For a little bit of fun, check out Spice Girl and former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant Mel B.’s fridge.

This month’s 30 minute meals are: Chicken Satay Noodle Soup, Tango Joes, Penne with Mushrooms, BLTT (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato Jam and Tuna Steak) Sandwiches, Lamb Chops with Roasted Vegetables and Spring Pea Risotto, Pat’s Stromboli Bread, Spring Fish in Parchment, Leeky Linguine with Shrimp, and Indian Spiced Meat with Curried Potato Salad and Creamed Spinach.

In the No-Recipe Zone, find out how to make Spring Minestrone Pasta with Crispy Bacon from Editor Silvana Nardone. If you’re looking for some sweets, you’ll find recipes for Bacon-Crumble Apple Pie, “Yellow Flag” Dessert Skewers, and Banana-Walnut Muffins. Alicia Silverstone shares her own recipe for Crispy Brown Rice Squares. The Burger of the Month looks interesting: Ham Burger.

For you travel fans, you can get details on trips to Boston, Omaha, and Taos. And if you’re a celebrity watcher, check out the B, L, D, feature on CSI: Miami’s Emily Procter and take a look inside Alicia Silverstone’s vegan fridge.

The basic idea is that you can simplify it all by picking a few really great recipes that can be made ahead of time and then choose a few prepared foods to supplement the menu. That way you can spend your time chatting with guests instead of slaving away in the kitchen. Sunset picked smoked salmon, salami, cheeses and chocolates from all over the West and recommends the items for hostess gifts, too. Pretty good idea, huh?

The recipes below serve 25 for an open house, or 10 for a sit-down dinner if you’re having a smaller crowd. Check out the full article for recommendations on products to supplement the recipes and serving suggestions.

• Smoked Salmon Canapés (variation: Tapenade Goat-Cheese Canapés)
• Radicchio Salad with Citrus, Dates, Almonds, and Parmesan Cheese
• Spiced Beef Tenderloin
• Sweet-Potato Soup with Prosciutto Crisps

My favorite section is, of course, the 30-Minute meals. This issue teaches us how to make Roasted Lamb Meatballs with Red Sauce and Polenta, Spicy Lentil Stoup, Lemon Cream Chicken with Champagne Risotto and Asparagus, Red and Green Winter Stoup, Jon’s Grilled Tuna Salad, Alentejo Pork with Chorizo and Mussels, and Spanish Spaghetti.

I’m also a fan of the Menu Planer, which includes quick recipes for each day of the week. This month, the recipes are Pork Tenderloin with Cheesy Polenta , One-Pan Chicken Dinner, Sausage Flapjack Stacks, Sirloin Veggie Stir-Fry, Lamb Chops and Chickpeas, Coconut Curried Shrimp, and Three-Cheese Broccolini Turnovers.

In the No-Recipe Zone, Silvana Nardone shows us an easy method for making Italian Pasta Bake and she shares a recipe for Cherry Breakfast Cake in the Sweet Spot feature. The pet-friendly food page shares a recipe for Peanut-Carob Isabooscotti. The Burger of the Month is Salmon Burgers with Dill Mustard.

In the Get Togethers section, which focuses on entertaining, Rachael gives some great cookie swap ideas. There are recipes for Peppermint Meringue Kisses, No-Bake Mocha Bonbons, and Cinnamon Cornmeal Wafers, and there are tips for how to pack them up for a party. Also, make sure you check out the Holiday Planner.

The travel section this issue gives us a local’s perspective on Boston. The travel section also features road trips to meet your New Year’s Resolutions, a trip to Park City, Utah, and bargains in Waikiki.