10,000 block recipes

Crab cakes with tomatillo salsa bind lump crabmeat with bread and egg white for a light crust, pan-seared and topped with tangy diced tomatillo-lime salsa. Southwest-style seafood dinner.

Tender bay scallops in a light thyme-nutmeg cream sauce tossed with pasta shells and finished with fresh parsley and lemon zest. Elegant enough for date night, easy enough for a weeknight.

Peppery arugula pesto with basil, pine nuts, black olives, lime juice and cumin. Bold cheese-free pesto for pasta, sandwiches or roasted vegetables.

Pfeffernuesse are traditional German spice cookies made with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, black pepper, rum, and candied lemon peel, finished with a white icing.

Turkey chili with dried black beans, a whole browned turkey breast simmered and shredded, and hand-toasted cumin seeds. A from-scratch, slow-simmered chili with deep flavor.

Gaslight Restaurant peppercorn dressing with Parmesan, cracked black pepper, garlic, Worcestershire, and hot sauce in a mayo base. A bold, restaurant-style dressing you can make at home.

Gallo pinto: Costa Rican black beans and rice pan-fried with onions, bell peppers, spinach, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. A humble national dish made hearty and green. Vegan, one-skillet.

Mocha crinkle cookies with deep cocoa, instant espresso, and a surprising pinch of black pepper, rolled in powdered sugar for that signature cracked-top look. A grown-up twist on classic chocolate crinkles.

Pepper poached pears simmer in white wine with black peppercorns, ginger, cinnamon and a whisper of chili heat, then chill in a syrup reduced from the poaching liquid. An elegant, lightly spiced dessert.

Turkey Waldorf salad with diced turkey breast, apples, celery, and raisins tossed in a yogurt-apricot-Dijon dressing. A lighter post-Thanksgiving leftover riff on the classic Waldorf.

New England seafood casserole with lobster, crab, or shrimp baked in a cream and egg custard with buttered cracker crumb topping. A classic coastal comfort dish.

Spicy beer-batter hush puppies loaded with chopped tomatoes, green pepper, onion, and red pepper flakes. Deep-fried golden in under 5 minutes per batch.

Vegetarian lentil-walnut burgers with mushrooms, wheat germ, and dry sherry. Hearty, earthy veggie patties that hold together on a bun and freeze beautifully for meal prep.

Kid-friendly chicken chili with ground chicken, bell peppers, tomatoes, mixed vegetables, and alphabet pasta: mild, hearty, ready in 45 minutes for picky eaters.

A fluffy folded omelet topped with a creamy chicken sauce loaded with mushrooms, green pepper, pimentos, olives, and chives. Dinner-worthy eggs ready in 20 minutes that turn leftovers into something elegant.

Daube glace, a classic Cajun cold jellied beef and pork roast braised with bell peppers, lemon, thyme, and bay leaf. A two-day New Orleans holiday tradition.