The first time I made this colorful soup, our home smelled wonderful. We knew it was a keeper to see us through cold winter days.

Select the saute setting and adjust for low heat. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and heavy cream until smooth. Gradually stir this slurry into the soup. Cook and stir until the clam chowder has slightly thickened, about six to eight minutes.

The best way to thicken this soup is to mash half of the beans in the pot before adding the remaining ingredients. If you still want the same amount of whole beans in every spoonful, simply add more navy beans to make up the difference. You could also add a cornstarch slurry to thicken up the soup.

My family loves Canadian bacon, but I don't run across a lot of dishes that call for it. Everyone was thrilled the first time I offered this succulent soup. —Jolene Roudebush,

Here is a great first course! Rich, creamy squash soup with a hint of apple is truly special and worthy of being on your holiday menu.

Vegetarians and veggie-curious eaters will both love this vegetable lentil soup that's equal parts healthy and tasty.

My family loves this soup, and I'm happy to make it since it's so simple! You can serve with cornbread instead of corn chips to make it an even more filling meal.

Pressure-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

I came up with this easy salad while brainstorming light, protein-filled recipes. My vegetarian and vegan friends are especially big fans.

It tastes so much better. And serve this with a little grilled pita, and you've got a great one dish meal! —Helen

I love this salad because it's hearty but light. I serve it all year round with meat, chicken or fish. —sweet enough

This recipe is a combination of a few different recipes. I have adjusted it by using what we love to eat but with a bit of an Asian influence. —ChezUs

Who *didn't* lose their mind when the Momofuku cookbook came out? While most of its recipes are eminently impractical, I have made David Chang's quick pickled cucumbers more times than I can count - thin Kirby cukes marinated in sugar and salt, rinsed, patted dry, and then devoured.

There are the two main reasons for making this salad: First, the grill does all the work, freeing you from a hot kitchen in the summer, and second, it’s crazy good. The mayonnaise marinade for the vegetables creates a wonderful blistery crust.

This salad is vegan -- which is so unlike me, as I also often eat blocks of cheese like hand fruit -- but the bright citrus and tangy-sweet tomatoes are full of flavor, especially when backed by the creamy richness of the avocado. I hope you enjoy my recipe. I promise I wore pants while creating this dish.

This salad is inspired by tabouli--it’s loaded with parsley and mint. Fennel adds crunch and its own unique flavor, and the dressing is orange juice-based, which pairs nicely with the salty feta cheese. I have this salad for lunch on a bed of chopped romaine, and sometimes add some sliced avocado or marinated artichoke hearts.