Instructions: I remember those cut up and raggedy-looking dingy-white cubes jiggling in their black plastic containers at the college dining hall salad bar. I was vaguely aware that what I was staring at was tofu - even more unpleasantly known as soybean curd.

But I, like so many other students afraid of new foods, opted instead to adorn my salad with fresh vegetables, crunchy croutons, shredded mild cheese, sliced hard-boiled egg, and sunflower seeds.

Even though I had given up eating meat back in high school and often prepared vegetarian meals for the whole family, tofu had never found its way from the grocery store to our table. And given its unfortunate presentation in college and my subsequent squeamishness, I wasnt willing to give it an open-minded try until relatively recently.

Now, when prepared right, its one of my favorite foods.

I think my first taste of tofu came when I ordered an entree at Antipastos, a great little vegetarian restaurant and wine bar in Clifton Park, New York. The dish - named the Paul McCarthy for no reason that I could discern - consisted of grilled tofu and portobello mushrooms layered along with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

It was so delicious that Ive ordered the same meal on several other occasions and have developed a similar recipe to serve for dinner at home.

After draining according to the package directions, I simply cut a block of extra firm tofu width-wise into 1/4 inch slices then sprinkle them with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder and grill them on both sides (I use a stovetop grilling pan). I also slice whole portobellos - or buy packaged, presliced ones - and grill them with no added seasoning.

Next I coat the bottom of a casserole dish with cooking spray, then, starting with tofu first, layer my grilled ingredients along with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese - similar to the way a lasagna is made. I bake the dish at 350 degrees until the sauce is bubbling and the top layer of mozzarella is brown. As accompaniments, I serve crusty bread and a green salad.

In hindsight, Im glad I gave tofu a second chance. Its versatile and has finally become a staple of my meatless diet. It is almost always represented in my weekly menu planning, whether its in miso soup, a stir-fry, or marinated and baked or fried.

For help with incorporating tofu into your meals at home, I recommend and Lisa Messinger. In it youll find detailed information about tofus history, its nutrition benefits, and how to make it at home, as well as hundreds of savory recipes ranging from salads to desserts.

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