When I was young, one of my favorite side dishes was rice pilaf. It came in a slim box with a portion of rice and a sachet of spices, dehydrated chicken stock -- and goodness knows what else -- all set to prepare with water on the stovetop. The results were salty, addictive and aromatically flavored. My brothers and I would fight over who got to finish the bowl on the dinner table; one box was never enough.

These days, I make pilaf from scratch -- and you probably do, too, without realizing it. The principle behind pilaf is that rice, or another grain such as bulgur or farro, is sauteed to lightly toast the grains, and then steamed in a flavorful broth, along with a few aromatics such as onion, garlic and spices. When ready to serve, the rice is fluffed to separate the grains and prevent stickiness, and handfuls of fresh herbs, chopped almonds or chilies are added for extra flavor, crunch and color.

You can choose to keep the rice simple or add the garnishes selectively to your taste. I tend to pile them all on, because rice pilaf always seems to bring out the hoarder in me -- and they do add sensational taste. So, before you reach for a box of pilaf in the supermarket with a long list of multisyllabic ingredients, remember that it's really quite easy -- and much cheaper -- to make your own from scratch.

Homemade Rice Pilaf

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 6 as a side dish

2 3/4 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

Generous pinch of saffron threads

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup orzo

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/4 cup basmati rice

Optional garnishes:

1 scallion, white and green parts thinly sliced

1 small red jalapeno, finely chopped

2 to 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped almonds

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Combine the stock, 2 tablespoons butter, the salt, paprika and saffron in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and keep warm.

Heat the oil and melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a deep skillet (with a lid) over medium heat. Add the orzo and saute until light golden, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and saute for about 1 minute, and then add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and continue to cook, stirring constantly to coat and lightly toast the rice, for about 2 minutes.

Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook, undisturbed, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve with the garnishes sprinkled over the top.

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If you are searching for an easy and rewarding family dinner, then look no further than a chicken. A whole roasted chicken is a weeknight wonder, yielding a bounty of comforting food with little effort. It will fill your home with tantalizing aromas while it roasts, amply feed a family of four with leftovers for lunch, and bestow you with the goods for a rich and restorative stock. For complete dinner ease, throw a bunch of sturdy vegetables, such as potatoes or root vegetables, into the pan around the chicken, and let them braise in the pan juices while the chicken cooks.

I roast a chicken like this nearly every week. For variety, I will change it up with a rub or a marinade, depending on the mood or season. Prefer something cozy and traditional for a gray and rainy day? Then keep it simple with olive oil, rosemary, thyme and pan gravy. Feeling spicy? Give it a dry rub with an elixir of Southwestern spices spiked with cayenne.

Craving travel and far-flung inspiration? Then try this heady recipe, and slather the chicken with a thick yogurt marinade infused with lemon, garlic, cardamom and ginger. The yogurt is a wonderful tenderizer, is commonly used in Middle Eastern and Indian dishes as a marinade, and imparts a delicious tang. It's also a great vehicle for a shower of spices and aromatics that will satisfy any culinary wanderlust influencing your craving.

Yogurt Marinated Chicken and Potatoes With Lemon, Garlic and Ginger

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes, plus resting time

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

For the chicken:

1 whole free-range or organic chicken, 4 to 5 pounds

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup Greek whole milk yogurt

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the potatoes:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds baby potatoes, halved if large

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Fresh cilantro for garnish

Thirty minutes before roasting, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Rinse the chicken all over and inside the cavity with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, ginger, salt, lemon zest, cardamom and black pepper in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Rub the paste all over the outside of the chicken, between the skin and breast, and inside the cavity. Place, breast-side up, in the center of a baking pan or large ovenproof skillet.

Prepare the potatoes: Toss the potatoes, olive oil, paprika, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Scatter the potatoes around the chicken.

Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and, using tongs, carefully turn the chicken over, breast-side down. Stir the potatoes. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove and once again turn the chicken over, breast-side up. Return to the oven and cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked and thigh juices run clear when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. (If the chicken becomes too dark before thoroughly cooked, lightly cover with foil.)

Remove from the oven and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Carve the chicken and serve with the potatoes and the pan juices. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

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Who doesn't like a buttery, rich pound cake? Simple and pleasingly plain, it's comfort food for adults and kids alike. While a winner as-is, a pound cake's simplicity is also an inviting canvas, amenable to garnishes (whipped cream, anyone?) and fruity additions, such as citrus and berries. A brush of syrup on the just-baked cake takes it to yet another level, infusing each crumbly bite with the tang of flavor (lemon? orange?) and saturating the entire loaf with a luscious stickiness.

With all of these choices for inspiration, I went all out and piled on the extras in this fragrant pound cake recipe, with orange zest and ground coriander infusing the batter, and a pile of syrupy strawberries and fluffy cream adorning the plate. The coriander might sound unusual, but it's a dark horse worth considering when it comes to desserts. Often associated with savory food and Asian cuisines, ground coriander is mildly floral and nutty, and brings a subtle perfume and flavor to sweets. It's also exceptionally compatible with citrus, such as orange.

For this recipe, I relied on a favorite tried-and-true pound cake method by Rose Levy Beranbaum, in which she uses lemon syrup to brush her cake. I used an orange and coriander syrup to moisten the cake and coat fresh strawberries, which are spooned over the cake before serving.

Coriander Spiced Pound Cake With Strawberries

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes, plus cooling time

Yield: Makes one 8-by-4-inch loaf -- approximately 8 servings

Syrup:

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup water

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly toasted, coarsely chopped

Pound Cake:

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups cake flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Garnishes:

1 pound strawberries, hulled, halved (or quartered if large)

1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Finely grated orange zest

Prepare the syrup:

Combine the sugar, water and ground coriander seeds in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Strain the syrup into a bowl and set aside 2 tablespoons syrup for the strawberries.

Prepare the pound cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper: Butter the paper and lightly dust the pan with flour.

Whisk the eggs, milk, zest and vanilla in a small bowl.

Briefly mix the flour, sugar, coriander, baking powder and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer to blend. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture and beat for 1 minute to aerate. Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 batches, beating 20 seconds after each addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until a bamboo skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.

Transfer to a rack, pierce the top of the cake with the skewer, and brush the top of the cake with some of the syrup. Cool for 10 minutes, and then turn the cake out onto the rack. Pierce the sides and bottom of the cake with the skewer and brush with more of the syrup. Cool completely. (The flavors will develop as the cake cools.)

Before serving, prepare the garnishes. Toss the strawberries and the 2 tablespoons syrup in a bowl. Beat the cream, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form.

To serve, cut the pound cake into 3/4-inch slices. Spoon some of the strawberries over the cake. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with orange zest.

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