A winner. Delicious and easy to adapt. Might be necessary to punch up the flavoring a bit, though -- I add a little dry mustard to the sauce.

I used this barbecue sauce recipe and the variations as a template for creating my own sauce. To begin with, I thought 2 cups of ketchup would be way too sweet, so I ended up using 1 part ketchup, 1 part tomato paste, 1 part hoisin sauce and 1 part stock. I also added a little bit of this and that (Worcestershire, mustard, bourbon, hot sauce, vinegar) until the sauce tasted really good to me. So while I ended up far afield of Bittman's simple sauce, this was the foundation for it.

I made this preparation with the egg and flour, which seemed too fussy for me. As promised, the bread crumbs didn't adhere, but the dish was still quite tasty. This is a simple preparation that goes well with sauteed chicken.

Really good for such a simple soup. I made the potato version and added some bacon for extra oomph.

This is a nice light way to cook chicken, which can take advantage of pretty much any vegetables you have. I cooked the chicken in a casserole dish this time, so it was even easier.

If you want a quick and easy chocolate chip cookie you can make with your kids, this is a good recipe. The cookies come out thin and crispy, not thick and chewy. I do think this recipe was a tad over-sweet.

Very easy to make. I used 2 oranges, but that was because my oranges were almost all pith. There's probably a touch too much sugar; it can be reduced. I also used crystallized ginger, which is nice but adds to the sweetness.

I always make deviled eggs after Easter because what else are you going to do with all those hard-boiled eggs? Besides, they are my favorite springtime treat. This recipe is a good one because it's so basic, but Bittman offers so many ideas for jazzing it up. I also likes that the recipe assumes a small batch (4 eggs), but of course, it can be easily doubled or tripled.

I make this recipe a lot when I need a quick appetizer. It is very easy and usually I have the ingredients on hand. It is also easy to vary depending on what I've got to mix in. It seems like I get a smoother, creamier spread if I use the food processor to mix it.

I always forget that broiling chicken dirties my oven and sets off the smoke detector. This is a better recipe for grilling, but for that, it works very well. There are many variations beyond provencal. I like the Asian-influenced soy marinade the best.

A great soup. The broth really makes it. Contrary to instructions, I let the noodles steep a while in the broth to absorb the flavors. I also added bok choy to make the soup a little more substantial.

I wasn't terribly impressed with this. It came out chalky and dry, almost bitter. This is such a common recipe that there surely must be better versions out there.

An easy recipe, perfectly serviceable, but lacking flavor and panache. The chicken gets a little dry and needs a sauce or something to punch it up.

This is a reliable pizza dough. You can make it in the afternoon and have pizza that night. Or you can freeze it for later. It all comes together very quickly in the food processor and stretches out well once rested.

A reliable staple, this stock cooks up quickly (about an hour), takes advantage of whatever vegetables you have on hand, and if you use a whole chicken, you can repurpose the poached chicken for other recipes. For a richer stock, use only chicken wings and legs. I should make this every week.

Another simple recipe that's really just a technique, but with some useful suggestions for flavor variations. I prefer to brown the skin on the stovetop first, then move the chicken to the oven. Also, the temperature given was too high for my oven.

This is a basic preparation for chicken cutlets or tenders that is very tasty, especially with different pan sauces (marsala, piccata, etc.). I don't make it often, though, because I don't like to fuss with the egg, flour and bread crumbs, although that is the only way to build a really good crust. If you take the suggested shortcut, and just use bread crumbs, the chicken won't be nearly as crispy.

This is a super-simple dessert that even a baking novice like me can make very easily. It can use fresh or frozen berries, whatever kind you have. Top with whipped or ice cream.

Was this really simpler than pilaf? I don't think I would say so, since there are actually two steps: cooking on the stovetop and baking in the oven. Also, I found it harder to judge the cooking times and amount of liquid needed, so the rice was a little underdone and too liquidy. I think I will stick with my tried-and-true pilaf recipe.

This is a useful recipe that can be varied many ways, and if you are a plain yogurt eater, you'll have the ingredients on hand when needed. I mostly use it as a salad dressing.

This is one of my favorite go-to appetizers. I usually have the ingredients on hand.

A quick and easy light dinner for a weeknight. My only quibble is that the recipe needs a bit more flavor. I often have to mix my own additions. Chinese mustard, hoisin sauce or a little chili sauce would all be welcome additions.

I made the version with yogurt as a dip for crudites. I was hoping this would be reminiscent of tahini dressing, but it came out bitter, and I had even omitted the garlic. I had to do a fair bit of rescuing, by adding sour cream, honey and more lemon juice.

I would love to find a good bean burger recipe. These are just okay, and I didn't really care for the addition of oatmeal, which made the burgers too grainy.