Tangy brown lentil soup brightened with vinegar and fragrant with coriander and garlic. Vegan, budget-friendly, and on the table in under an hour. A Middle Eastern kitchen staple.
Summer basil salad tossed in a sweet rice vinegar and Dijon dressing with fresh veggies, herbs, and golden raisins. Serve it over fusilli, brown rice, or couscous for a light, vibrant side dish.
Skillet chicken breasts seared with garlic, then simmered with julienned mushrooms, fresh mint, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a splash of cream. A one-pan Italian dinner ready in 30 minutes.
Escarole soup with creamy white beans, garlic, and a hit of olive oil simmered in chicken broth. The classic Italian-American minestra di scarola, ready for crusty bread on the side.
Pan-seared beef tenderloin topped with melted blue cheese and sweet balsamic caramelized onions. A simple, elegant steak dinner that's ready in 40 minutes.
Bright honey lemon salad dressing with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, scallions, and a splash of dry sherry. Whisk it together in 10 minutes, chill overnight, and shake before drizzling.
A loaded meat-lovers pizza piled with pepperoni, salami, Italian sausage, black olives, and two cheeses on a ready-made crust. Easy enough for the whole bunch.
Chilled pasta shells layered with basil pesto, spinach, Roma tomatoes, black olives, and shrimp. This make-ahead Italian pasta salad is a crowd-pleasing potluck star that only gets better as it sits.
Shrimp puff pastry loaf wrapping a buttery shrimp, tomato and red pepper filling in golden flaky pastry. Elegant make-ahead seafood centerpiece for dinner parties and holidays.
Kibbee bissaneeyeh: Lebanese layered ground lamb and bulgur casserole stuffed with spiced lamb and pine nuts, baked in a diamond-scored pattern until golden.
Grilled lamb rib chops with a creamy white wine and gorgonzola sauce. Bold blue cheese reduction over rosy lamb, fast enough for a weeknight and rich enough for a special occasion.
Four pepper salsa with red, yellow, and green bell peppers plus green chiles, pulsed in a food processor with plum tomatoes, mustard seeds, and fresh cilantro. A colorful, make-ahead party salsa.
A hearty skillet omelette packed with bacon, red bell pepper, cabbage, and onion, spiced with fenugreek and coriander, then broiled under melted cheddar. This cheesy Spanish omelette feeds four in just 20 minutes.
Spinach and leeks with garbanzo beans, a quick and easy veggie main or side dish
Vegetarian saffron rice timbales stuffed with spicy black beans and topped with fresh avocado-tomato salsa. A stunning three-component plant-based main dish.
Pompano en papillote: New Orleans classic of Gulf pompano baked in foil packets over a sherry-spiked béchamel studded with shrimp and crab. Antoine's-style fine dining at home.