2,800 better recipes

Southern black-eyed pea salad with spinach, pecans, Monterey Jack, and mushrooms in a smoky vinegar dressing. A make-ahead side that gets better overnight in the fridge.

This bean soup sports a colorful mixture of vegetables and rich spices reminiscent of Mexican cuisine. It tastes even better after a night in the refrigerator. Serve topped with crushed tortilla chips and low- fat sour cream, if desired.

Spaghetti sauce from fresh tomatoes with fennel seeds, green pepper, Parmesan, and a triple tomato base of fresh, pureed, and paste. The longer it simmers, the better it gets.

Savory vegetable soup simmered low and slow with tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, beans, corn and mushrooms in a rich bouillon broth. A fat-free, pantry-friendly pot that tastes better the next day.

A make-ahead layered pasta salad loaded with kidney beans, corn, bell peppers, and a creamy taco-seasoned dressing. This Southwestern pasta salad feeds a crowd and tastes even better the next day.

Layered Creole vegetable casserole with okra, lima beans, corn, peppers, and tomato, topped with crumb-coated sautéed okra. A vegetarian gumbo-inspired bake that gets better the next day.

New Mexico chili soup with browned ground beef, onions, tomatoes, fresh roasted green chiles, and warm cumin. A long-simmered Southwestern bowl that gets better the longer it cooks.

Olive oil marinated mushrooms simmer button mushrooms in herbed wine vinegar with thyme, garlic, and brandy. A make-ahead antipasto that gets better after a night in the fridge.

Sour cream pound cake with a vanilla-sugar crust sprinkled on top before baking. Rich, dense, and buttery with a tender crumb that tastes even better the next day.

Hungarian goulash soup with tender beef cubes, paprika, green peppers, and caraway seeds simmered in beef stock. A hearty one-pot soup that tastes even better the next day.

Italian braised lamb and potatoes with pecorino cheese, red capsicum, and garlic simmered in stock until fork-tender. A make-ahead casserole that tastes even better the next day.

Homemade ricotta cheese: three-ingredient fresh cheese from whole milk, vinegar, and salt. Slow-curdled the traditional way for silky, delicate curds. Better than any tub at the store.

McIlhenny's crawfish etouffee smothered in butter with the holy trinity, crawfish fat, Tabasco, and fresh lemon juice. A rich, roux-free Cajun classic that's even better the next day.

An ideal fruit salad or dessert for Winter, because the tropical fruits are available year-round and ripen naturally. The riper and more fragrant the fruit, the better the salad.

Creamy fresh tomato soup made from ripe tomatoes, basil, whole cloves, and brown sugar, pureed and finished with half-and-half and milk. Far better than anything from a can.

Whole wheat Banana Health Loaf sweetened with honey and studded with unsweetened coconut. No eggs, just 3 tablespoons of oil, 98 calories per slice, and better flavor after resting overnight.