135 big big recipes

Green tomato and onion pickles in a sweet cider vinegar brine with mustard seeds, whole allspice, and cloves. A big-batch canning recipe that turns 4 quarts of unripe tomatoes into tangy, spiced pickles.

Italian sausages and chicken braised in red wine and crushed tomatoes with peppers, garlic, and fresh herbs. A big-batch one-pot dinner built for feeding a crowd or stocking the freezer.

Lemon butter layer cake baked in a tube pan, sliced into four layers filled with lemon cream and topped with caramelized nut crunch. A three-component vintage dessert with big citrus flavor.

A big beef rump roast braised low and slow with dried pinto beans, green peppers, and onions in a tangy tomato-vinegar sauce with brown sugar and thyme. Feeds 10 hungry folks.

Chicken and beef burgoo, the hearty Kentucky stew that simmers two meats with corn, lima beans, potatoes, okra, and tomatoes, thickened with a bacon-drippings roux. A big-batch Southern crowd-pleaser.

Homemade Swedish Christmas sausage (julkorv) stuffed into natural hog casings with ground beef, mashed potatoes, allspice, and cloves. A treasured Scandinavian holiday tradition you can make ahead and freeze for the big day.

Pumpkin sheet cake: a fast, one-bowl fall cake loaded with canned pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Moist, not-too-sweet, and big enough to feed a potluck without breaking a sweat.

A from-scratch vegetable bean soup simmered for hours with dried kidney beans, chunky potatoes, carrots, zucchini, leeks, savoy cabbage, and brown rice. Old-fashioned, freezer-friendly, and endlessly customizable. One big pot feeds 8.

A big-batch brownie sheet cake made with cocoa, buttermilk, and a hint of cinnamon. The boiled cocoa mixture gives the crumb an intensely fudgy texture. Ice it while warm for a glossy, melt-in finish.

Spicy Sichuan-style pork with peanuts, a fast wok stir-fry of cubed pork tossed in a fiery soy, rice wine, and chili sauce with toasted peanuts and dried chilies. Big heat, deep crunch, restaurant flavor at home.

A thick, rustic Italian-style soup loaded with penne, cannellini beans, fennel, zucchini, and summer squash simmered in vegetable broth spiked with dry vermouth. Low-fat, naturally vegetarian, and feeds 8 from one big pot in about an hour.

One of the best homemade mac n' cheese I've ever had. The flavor of the sauce was excellent. Instead of provolone I use asiago cheese. The bits of feta and spinach made for nice variety. Bread crumb topping added another layer of crunchy texture.

"A tall, impressive cake that showcases the flavors and smells of the holidays. A three-layer extravaganza with a touch of molasses and shredded apple to keep it moist. It fills the house with a fragrance that beats the most expensive holiday-scented candle. It will be talked about long after the party is over." Source: The Pastry Queen Christmas, by Rebecca Rather

A family favourite for the holidays. Easy to make and so good!!

Chocolate turtle cheesecake: vanilla wafer crust topped with melted caramel, toasted pecans, and chocolate cheesecake filling. A layered showstopper dessert for serious occasions.

A simple yet savory soup made with tomatoes, cabbage and a variety of frozen vegetables.