262 big big recipes

Lentil kufta, a Middle Eastern vegetarian patty made with red lentils and bulgur, seasoned with sauteed onions, scallions, and red pepper. No-fry vegan appetizer shaped into balls or one big mound.

Ham and asparagus roll-ups topped with melty mozzarella and broiled until bubbly. A low-carb, low-calorie appetizer or side that comes together in under 10 minutes. Three ingredients, big payoff.

A big-batch Dutch oven peach cobbler built for a crowd. Canned peaches simmer in a sweet cornstarch glaze under a lattice of homemade biscuit dough strips. Campfire-ready and feeds up to 18 hungry folks.

Chunky sweet potato soup loaded with carrots, celery, peas, and herbs, finished with nonfat sour cream and skim milk. A big-batch comfort soup that serves 16 and feels lighter than it tastes.

A big fresh ham roasted for hours, then stuffed with spicy Italian sausage and cooked until fork-tender. The pan drippings make a rich, savory gravy. Feeds a crowd with just two ingredients.

Big-batch slushy punch made with cherry gelatin, pineapple juice, orange juice, and ginger ale. Freezes ahead, thaws to a rosy slush, and serves 46. The go-to punch for weddings and showers.

A hearty DIY multigrain hot cereal mix packed with 11 whole grains, seeds, and lentils. Mix a big batch, cook what you need, and eat chewy, nutty bowls of goodness all week long.

Vegetarian chili with kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, green pepper, and chili powder simmered for one hour. No meat, no fuss. A big-batch meatless chili that's naturally vegan and full of smoky, tomatoey flavor.

A simple French-style onion soup for two: one big onion browned in butter, simmered in broth, and topped with toasted bread and melted cheese. Comfort food in 30 minutes with just 4 ingredients.

Too much fruit salad is a big-batch medley of pineapple, melon, citrus, peaches, kiwi, and banana bathed in apricot nectar and chilled overnight so the flavors meld. A bright, make-ahead crowd salad.

Chicken wing drumsticks soaked in a soy sauce, white wine, and five-spice marinade with garlic and ginger, baked until tender, then crisped on the grill. A family-style Chinese chicken recipe with big flavor.

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.

Saag vali khichri is a soothing Indian rice and mung bean porridge stirred with fresh spinach, cumin, coriander, and ghee. Nourishing comfort food with Ayurvedic roots, gentle on the stomach and big on warming spice.

My husband and I have made this recipe at Christmas, and in the summer for years. It is very light and delicious and always a big hit. It is time consuming to make, but well worth the work.

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.

COMMENT: What makes this dessert so irresistible? As it bakes, a pudding sauce forms beneath the cake layer. Cocoa-based and made without eggs, its an old-fashioned treat that should be served with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and a big spoon.