Meal in Minutes

Spending time preparing an elaborate meal is no problem for those who like to cook and have ample time to spend in the kitchen. But some days, speed is the key ingredient in what you whip up for your hungry clan. The complete-meal menu here is comprised of family favorites from three super cooks. You can have it all ready to serve in just 30 minutes.

"Vegetable Bean Soup is one of my favorite fast dishes on a cold winter day," writes Mary Ann Morgan from Cedartown, Georgia. "My husband and I like to eat this mildly spiced soup out of mugs in front of the fireplace."

Kids, in particular, will go for golden-brown Potato Chip Breadsticks with their crunchy coating. "I like to stand them up in a jar or stack them in a bread basket…either way, they don't last long," says Aneta Kish of La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Broiled Bananas a la Mode, from Charles Williams of Cincinnati, Ohio, can't be beat when you crave a delectable dessert. Dressed in a sweet apricot sauce with a sprinkling of toasted coconut, the warm bananas are especially yummy when you serve them with a scoop of ice cream on the side.

Breadstick Savvy

IF Aneta Kish's Potato Chip Breadsticks appeal to you, try one of these fun ideas for dressing up convenient refrigerated breadsticks. They're not only quick but tasty, too.

• Instead of chips, brush the twists with olive oil and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese or your favorite herbs before baking.

• For a sweet treat, brush a little melted butter on the twists and sprinkle with a cinnamon-sugar mixture, then bake.

• Pour warmed peach or apricot preserves in a round baking pan. Separate the bread dough, but do not uncoil, and place dough pieces on the preserves. Bake until golden brown; invert onto a platter and sprinkle with semisweet chocolate chips. Served warm, the pinwheels make a great snack or a yummy breakfast treat.

• Unroll unbaked breadsticks; roll each into a long rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Brush with lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with salt, sesame seeds, garlic powder, poppy seeds or other topping. Bake until golden brown; serve with a dipping sauce.

• Next time you're camping, make sausage on a stick. Simply spear a fully cooked smoked sausage link on a long fork or skewer; coil one breadstick dough around the sausage and pinch the ends. Turn slowly over the campfire until dough has browned.