Oxtail is one of the most economical and most flavorful cuts of meat, and one that takes well to marinating for days in a hearty mixture of red wine, herbs, and vegetables. The longer you marinate the mixture, the more flavorful it will be, but be sure it marinates at least 3 days. Oxtail is also a fatty cut -- give yourself plenty of time to allow the stew to cook and then cool, so all the fat can be skimmed off. Serve this with thick noodles in warmed soup bowls, accompanied by a tossed salad, and of course, a robust red wine.
Classic Tuscan ribollita, a thick bread soup with cannellini beans, cabbage, spinach, zucchini, and rosemary. Finished with Romano cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Orecchiette dell'ortolano: Italian gardener's-style pasta with broiled eggplant, fire-roasted peppers, asparagus, and fresh fava beans tossed with olive oil and garlic.
Lemony chicken zucchini stir-fry with mushrooms, carrots, and toasted walnut halves. A 30-minute one-pan dinner brightened with lemon zest and garlic butter, no soy sauce required.
Pad Go: Thai stir-fried lobster with fresh ginger, garlic, jalapeño, and scallions in an oyster-fish sauce glaze. A showstopping seafood dinner that's on the table in 30 minutes.
Friday night pot roast marinated overnight in red wine, apple juice, and aromatics, then braised low and slow for 4 hours. A make-ahead roast with a reduced wine sauce, served chilled and reheated.
Chicken breast baked in a foil packet with zucchini, roma tomatoes, green beans, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon. Served over angel hair pasta for a light, Provençal-inspired dinner with almost no cleanup.
Whole wheat penne tossed with braised butternut squash, kale, crispy smoked tofu, and Parmesan. A hearty, low-fat winter pasta that's on the table in under 45 minutes.
Inside out ravioli casserole with a spinach-macaroni-cheese base topped with beefy mushroom tomato sauce. All the flavors of ravioli baked as a freezer-friendly casserole.
Crunchy pickled green beans canned with fresh dill, garlic, mustard seed, and a touch of cayenne. This classic dilly bean recipe yields 7 pints of tangy, snackable preserved beans.
Seafood pasta salad with rotini, shrimp, bay scallops, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and olives in an anchovy-Parmesan vinaigrette. Crowd-feeding cold salad for parties and picnics.
A slow-simmered lamb chili with black beans, fresh ginger, allspice, and Zinfandel wine. Beans cook with lamb bones for deep flavor. Best made a day ahead for the richest taste.
Ground buffalo chili with red beans, black beans, tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, and cilantro. Leaner than beef, deeper in flavor, and spiked with honey, cumin, and chili powder. Heartland comfort.
Pickled spring garlic in vinegar and sweetened soy sauce, Korean-style. Slow ferment that mellows young garlic into tender, savory cloves perfect for rice bowls and grilled meats.
Creamy white chicken chili with fresh jalapeños, ginger, corn, and great northern beans in a buttery roux-based sauce. Top with Monterey Jack and serve with cornbread.
Sliced turkey and Swiss cheese piled high with slow-caramelized onions and sweet mustard, pressed until golden on whole wheat bread. This turkey panini turns leftover turkey into a gourmet grilled sandwich.