Baking Dish

Mediterranean diets have always included eggs, and Mediterranean cooks from Spain to Turkey have added their own regional stamp. But eggs have taken a beating in this country, due to concern about heart disease.Now, though, as blame has shifted away from dietary cholesterol to saturated fat, eggs are poised for a comeback. A tremendous source of nutrition, one large egg contains about 5 grams of fat, less than 2 of them saturated. It has 6 grams of protein and an array of vitamins and minerals.

They're a little old-fashioned, at first glance.But part of the appeal of baked pasta dishes is just that. They're warm and familiar, like something Mom might have made. Yet not overly familiar, if you jazz them up with great ingredients -- things Mom might have had a hard time finding or not thought of using.There are, for instance, the seafood sausage, fresh dill and white wine in the baked seafood pasta in today's recipes. Shrimp, red bell peppers, onions and garlic are other attractions of the dish.

With school starting again, life becomes even more complicated. Not only do you have to meet your own schedule, but now there are kids to pack off to school and after-school activities to arrange. Not to mention that your significant other is on an entirely different work -- and play -- schedule than you are.How can you possibly plan meals or find time to prepare them? The old standbys -- fat-filled cheesy and beefy lasagna, calorie-laden tuna casserole made with cream of anything soup, egg-rich and ham-studded quiche -- just don't seem right anymore.

Make brownie points with treats that travel.Bars belong to the no-fuss branch of the cookie family; they can be mixed easily and baked all at once in a single pan. They're sturdy, too, making them ideal for packing into rucksacks or picnic baskets to be enjoyed after a vigorous hike or bracing swim. These low-fat bars nourish the hungriest hiker, and because they are so low in saturated fat, it's OK to have two.If you are planning a weekend of outdoor activities, bake a couple of batches of bars on Thursday or Friday night -- they keep well for up to three days in a tightly closed container at room temperature.

On certain summer evenings, when there is gardening to be done, schoolbooks to be tackled, laundry to be washed, or bills to be paid, the most sensible course of action is to run away from home with picnic basket in hand and ears cocked for music.-- Adapted from "Lee Bailey's Long Weekends" (Potter, $30)BrowniesMakes 12 brownies4 ounces good-quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped1/2 pound unsalted butter, chopped4 large eggs2 cups sugar1/2 tablespoon vanilla1 cup mini-marshmallows6 ounces chocolate chips1 cup all-purpose flourHeat oven to 350 degrees.

Perhaps the perfect answer to "what's for dinner?" is right here."I want a ground turkey meatloaf recipe," wrote Marie Curry of Baltimore, "that has the same texture as one made with ground beef."A bread pudding was what Joe Jones of Crofton wanted, saying he was trying to find a pudding in which "the end product was like a custard but the bread in it remained whole."Chef Syglowski of the Baltimore International Culinary College, who tests the responses sent in, chose a meatloaf from Lee Tydings of Baltimore who calls her dish an Italian meatloaf.

Nectarines are my favorite peaches. Although many people think nectarines are an entirely different fruit, they are a fuzz-less peach cousin. Both peaches and nectarines have similar fresh and cooked characteristics.They are so similar, in fact, that the seeds from peaches may produce nectarines, peaches or even both on the same tree.The smooth skin of nectarines is more delicate and easier to eat fresh. During cooking, it also softens further, almost melting away, so you often don't have to peel them.

For informal entertaining of friends, Martha Rose Shulman likes to mix easy dishes with complicated ones, casual dishes with dramatic ones. A whole baked fish provides the drama but also the ease in a menu from her new book, "Entertaining Light" (Bantam, hardcover, $25).Once the vegetables for the menu are julienned, it takes only a few minutes to saute them and then put the fish in the pan. The oven does the rest, and you can even serve it in the dish if it's a pretty one.You'll need a long baking dish for the fish, but if a bit of the fish's tail hangs out over the edge, that's fine.

Looking for a quick appetizer idea? This dish is especially good for a small, casual fall get-together plus it's a snap to make.Baked Cheese1/2 cup garden-style spaghetti sauce6 ounces chevre cheese1 teaspoon lemon juice1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper6 hard rolls, sliced, or melba toastPour sauce into a 10- or 12-ounce oven-proof baking dish. Using a pastry brush, brush cheese with lemon juice. Sprinkle with cracked pepper. Place cheese on top of the sauce in the dish. Bake, uncovered, in a 375-degree oven for six to eight minutes or until cheese is just heated and softened.

I didn't have to look very far for a Shrimp Scampi recipe for Tom Reesey. This one, from "The Williams Sonoma Cookbook" published in 1986, is one of my favorites. I first made it several years ago for a swanky party, doubling the recipe to feed eight.I've since made it dozens of times, serving it with fresh french bread and tender-crisp green beans.Shrimp Scampi2 pounds large shrimp3 teaspoons dried tarragon, chopped2 tablespoons parsley, chopped2 shallots or small green onions, chopped fineSalt and pepper3 to 4 tablespoons olive oilPreheat oven to 400 degrees.