Who hasn't been in a crunch in the kitchen?  You're trying to fix dinner fast while also saving some money.  Susan Westmoreland, food director at Good Housekeeping magazine, shares dishes to help solve tonight's dinner dilemma. Here are the recipes:

Salmon Cakes With Soy-Ginger Mayonnaise
Prep: 35 minutes
Cook: About 25 minutes
Makes 12 salmon cakes or 6 main-dish servings

1-1/2 pounds baking potatoes (about 2 large), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound salmon fillet, skin removed
1 lemon
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon soy sauce
6 lettuce leaves, sliced
Lemon wedges (optional)

In 3-quart saucepan, combine potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and enough water to cover; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 6 to 8 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes; place in large bowl.

Meanwhile, with knife, finely chop salmon; refrigerate. From lemon, grate 1 teaspoon peel and squeeze 1 teaspoon juice; set aside.

In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 8 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 tablespoon ginger; cook 30 seconds. Add onion mixture to bowl with potatoes. With potato masher, coarsely mash potatoes with onion mixture.

To bowl with potato mixture, add salmon, lemon peel, egg, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to mix well. Shape salmon mixture into 12 cakes, 3-inch by 3/4-inch size, using about 1/3 cup mixture for each.

In same skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add 6 salmon cakes and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked through and browned on both sides, turning over once. Transfer salmon cakes to plate; keep warm. Repeat with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and salmon cakes.

While salmon cakes are cooking, prepare soy-ginger mayonnaise: In small bowl, with spoon, mix lemon juice, mayonnaise, soy sauce, and remaining 1 teaspoon ginger.

To serve, on each of 6 dinner plates, place some lettuce; top with 2 salmon cakes. Serve salmon cakes with mayonnaise and, if you like, lemon wedges.

Each serving: About 280 calories, 19 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate, 13 g total fat (2 g saturated), 2 g fiber, 84 mg cholesterol, 475 mg sodium.

Spinach and Bacon Bread Pudding
Prep: 25 minutes plus standing
Bake: About 40 minutes
Makes 6 main-dish servings

4 slices bacon
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 large eggs
3 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
12 ounces day-old French bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (8 cups)
6 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (1-1/2 cups)

In 12-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from skillet. Add onion and cook about 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.

In large bowl, with wire whisk, beat eggs. Add milk, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; whisk until well-blended. Grease shallow 2-1/2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish. Coarsely crumble bacon.

Place half of bread cubes in prepared baking dish; evenly top with spinach mixture, then half of bacon. Sprinkle with 1 cup Cheddar; top with remaining bread cubes. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread; let stand 30 minutes or up to overnight, occasionally pressing bread down with back of spoon to absorb milk mixture.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle bread pudding with remaining bacon and Cheddar. Bake pudding 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes for easier serving.

Each serving: About 480 calories, 24 g protein, 39 g carbohydrate, 24 g total fat (12 g saturated), 3 g fiber, 265 mg cholesterol, 1,075 mg sodium.

Spaghetti With Mussels and Fresh Tomatoes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: About 20 minutes
Makes 6 main-dish servings

1 package (16 ounces) spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, crushed with press
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1-1/2 pounds plum tomatoes (about 6 medium), coarsely chopped

Heat large saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add spaghetti and cook as label directs. Meanwhile, in deep 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until garlic begins to turn golden brown, stirring constantly. Add wine and salt; heat to boiling over high heat. Boil 2 minutes or until wine is reduced to about 1/3 cup.

Add mussels and tomatoes; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until mussels open. Discard any unopened mussels.

Drain spaghetti; transfer to large serving bowl. Top spaghetti with mussel mixture.

Each serving: About 395 calories, 20 g protein, 65 g carbohydrate, 6 g total fat (1 g saturated), 3 g fiber, 22 mg cholesterol, 530 mg sodium.

Ginger Pork Fried Rice
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: About 25 minutes
Makes about 6-1/2 cups or 4 main-dish servings

1/2 (12-ounce) package fresh or frozen (thawed) pork sausage meat
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 piece (3 inches) peeled fresh ginger, cut into slivers (about 1/3 cup)
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3-3/4 cups cold cooked rice*
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

Heat nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add sausage and cook 5 minutes or until sausage browns, breaking up sausage with side of spoon. Transfer sausage to medium bowl.

To fat in skillet, add 2 teaspoons oil; heat over medium-high heat. Add crushed red pepper and cook 15 seconds, stirring. Add garlic, ginger, and onion, and cook 6 to 7 minutes or until onion is tender-crisp and golden, stirring frequently. Transfer onion mixture to bowl with sausage.

Add 2 teaspoons oil to same skillet. Add carrots and beans, and cook 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring frequently. Transfer to bowl with sausage.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in skillet; add eggs. Cook 30 seconds or until eggs are softly scrambled, stirring constantly. Add rice and soy sauce; cook 3 minutes, stirring. Return sausage and vegetables with any juices to skillet; cook 2 minutes or until heated through, stirring to combine.

*For rice, use 1-1/4 cups long-grain white rice; prepare as label directs. Refrigerate rice until chilled. Cold cooked rice does not stick to skillet, making fried rice fluffy.

Each serving: About 565 calories, 15 g protein, 64 g carbohydrate, 27 g total fat (8 g saturated), 4 g fiber, 135 mg cholesterol, 740 mg sodium.

Asparagus, Red Potato and Romano Frittata
Prep: About 20 minutes
Microwave: About 2 minutes
Cook or bake: About 20 minutes
Makes 4 main-dish servings

2 medium red potatoes (about 6 ounces each)
8 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces asparagus, trimmed
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Place potatoes in microwave-safe small bowl; add 2 tablespoons water. Cover bowl with vented plastic wrap and cook potatoes on High for 2 to 3 minutes or until fork-tender, stirring potatoes once. Remove plastic wrap from bowl; discard water in bowl.

In medium bowl, with wire whisk, mix eggs, Romano, milk, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside. Cut asparagus crosswise into 1-inch pieces.

In nonstick 12-inch skillet with oven-safe handle (or with handle wrapped with double thickness of foil, for baking in oven later), melt margarine over medium-high heat. Add green onions and cooked potatoes and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in asparagus and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until asparagus is tender, stirring frequently. Spread vegetable mixture evenly in skillet.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour egg mixture over vegetables in skillet; cook 4 to 5 minutes, without stirring, until egg mixture begins to set around edge. Place skillet in oven and bake, uncovered, 10 to 12 minutes or until frittata is set and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cut into wedges to serve.

Each serving: About 320 calories, 20 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate, 17 g total fat (6 g saturated), 3 g fiber, 440 mg cholesterol, 750 mg sodium.

Recipes courtesy of Good Housekeeping Magazine.

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