The following recipes are from “The I Don’t Know How to Cook Book: 300 Great Recipes You Can’t Mess Up,” by Mary-Lane Kamberg, a Kansas University alumna.

Baked Lemon Chicken

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Level of Difficulty: “Easy”

What You Need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

What You Do:

1. Rinse the chicken in cold, running water. Place in an oven-proof baking pan that has been lightly greased with solid shortening or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter (or margarine) in a small saucepan or frying pan. Pour into a medium-size mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon juice, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper until well blended. Pour over the chicken. Cover the pan with aluminum foil or a baking pan lid. Bake for 1 hour. While the chicken is cooking, frequently spoon sauce from the bottom of the pan over the chicken.

Serves 4.

They’ll Think You’re a Genius Beef Brisket

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Level of Difficulty: “Medium”

3- to 6-pound beef brisket

1/2 (3.5 ounce) bottle liquid smoke

1 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup water

About 3/4 cup bottled barbecue sauce

Prepare this recipe the day before you plan to serve it.

What You Do:

1. Rinse the brisket in cold, running water. Place in a shallow roasting pan, fat side up. Pour the liquid smoke and lemon juice over the top. Sprinkle with celery seed, garlic salt and pepper. Bake uncovered at 275 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

2. Remove from oven. Pour water into the side of the roasting pan (not on top of the meat). Tightly cover with aluminum foil. Return to the oven. Cook for another 2 1/2 hours.

3. Uncover. Pour the barbecue sauce over the top. Reseal the foil. Cook for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove the foil until the meat has cooled. Cover and refrigerate in the juices overnight. Don’t cut the meat before it’s chilled.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove brisket from the juices and place on cutting board. Discard juices. Thinly slice the cold brisket crosswise. Place in an ovenproof baking pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and heat in the oven from 20 to 30 minutes, until warmed through.

Yields 2 to 3 servings per pound.

Banana Bread

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Level of Difficulty: “Hard”

What You Need:

1 cup solid vegetable shortening, plus extra for greasing

2 1/2 cups cake flour, plus 3 tablespoons for flouring

2 cups white granulated sugar

4 eggs

6 ripe bananas

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

What You Do:

1. Grease three loaf pans with shortening. Add about 1 tablespoon flour to each. Tilt in all directions, tapping gently until the pans are lightly coated. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, use a spoon or electric mixer to beat together the 1 cup shortening and sugar until soft and smooth; set aside.

3. In a separate medium-size mixing bowl, use a potato masher or electric mixer to mash together the eggs and bananas; set aside.

4. Measure the 2 1/2 cups flour, baking soda and salt into a sifter or strainer. Sift three times over waxed paper or into another large mixing bowl. If using a strainer, shake the dry ingredients through the strainer nine times.

5. Add about 1/2 cup of the banana mixture to the sugar and shortening mixture; beat. Add about 1/2 cup of the flour mixture; beat. Continue alternating the banana and flour mixtures until well blended. Do not overbeat.

6. Pour into the greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool in the pans. To freeze, wrap loaves in waxed paper, then wrap again in aluminum foil. Use directly from the freezer, slicing off 3/4-inch slices as needed.

When serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

Yields 3 loaves.

Caesar Salad

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Level of Difficulty: “Medium”

What You Need:

2 to 3 cups romaine lettuce

2 to 3 tablespoons bottled or homemade Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing

1/4 cup croutons

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

What You Do:

1. Tear off any limp or discolored leaves from the head of romaine lettuce. Pull off 4 to 6 leaves. Place in a colander and rinse under cold, running water. Turn the leaves to rinse both sides. Drain. Pat dry with paper towels, so the dressing will stick to the leaves. Wrap the lettuce in dry paper towels and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

2. Tear the lettuce into bite-size pieces. Place in a salad bowl or large mixing bowl. Add the salad dressing 1 tablespoon at a time. Toss with salad utensils or 2 large spoons. Continue adding dressing and tossing salad until the lettuce is lightly coated.

3. Add the croutons. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Toss again until well mixed. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing

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Level of Difficulty: “Easy”

What You Need:

2 large cloves garlic

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

What You Do:

1. Mince the garlic by chopping it into very small pieces. Place in a mixing bowl.

2. Stir in the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, cream, salt and pepper until well blended. When ready to serve, spoon 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time onto the salad. Toss until lightly coated.

Yields 1 1/3 cups.