Baked taco meatballs made with ground beef, rice, and pureed vegetables, smothered in taco sauce and cream of cheddar soup. A cheesy, Tex-Mex twist on classic meatballs the whole family will love.
Creamy minestrone soup blends puréed white beans into a hearty vegetable broth packed with cranberry beans, kale, zucchini, potatoes, and carrots. A vegan minestrone that gets its silky body from beans instead of cream.
Slow cooker lamb and tomato casserole simmers lamb shoulder with marjoram, onions, and canned tomatoes until fork-tender, building a deeply savory braise that gets richer overnight. A set-it-and-walk-away dinner.
Gumbo des herbes is a traditional Cajun green gumbo with seven greens, brisket, smoked ham, chaurice sausage, and file powder. A hearty Louisiana Lenten stew served over rice.
A delicate Asian-style steamed seafood custard (chawanmushi) with whole clams, fresh ginger, scallions, and umami-rich fish sauce. Light, savory, silky, and ready in under an hour.
Melty Monterey Jack cheese dip with sautéed bell peppers, mushrooms, and a splash of sherry. Scoop it up with warm flour tortillas for a quick Mexican-style appetizer.
A hearty one-skillet curry with chickpeas, red potatoes, Granny Smith apple, and green peas in a cumin-spiced sauce. Low-cal, naturally vegan, and served over rice for a filling weeknight meal.
Slow cooker buffalo stew with carrots, celery, tomatoes, and a hint of ground cloves. Low-fat, high-protein bison simmers for 12 hours into a rich, fork-tender one-pot meal.
BBQ pulled chicken sandwich with dry-rubbed grilled whole chicken and a coffee-spiked vinegar barbecue sauce. Served on white buns with cole slaw, classic Southern style.
This is pleasently warm but not mouth burning hot!
Quick orange beef stir-fry with marmalade glaze, ginger, carrots, and green onions served over rice. Uses leftover cooked beef for a glossy, citrusy 30-minute dinner.
Plump shrimp or scallops seared in garlic butter with sweet red pepper strips and a bright squeeze of lemon. This 5-ingredient Provencal-style seafood dinner is on the table in 30 minutes over steamed rice.
A great stand alone vegetarian meal or top it with a fillet of grilled chicken or a white fleshed fish fillet.
Gourmet breakfast pizza with fluffy scrambled eggs, tangy cream cheese dollops, and crispy bacon arranged like spokes on a golden crust. Fancy brunch vibes in 30 minutes with refrigerated dough.
Polpettone Italian stuffed meat steaks sandwich ham and melted mozzarella between two herbed beef-and-veal patties, breaded crisp, then baked under tomato sauce and more cheese. The Italian-American answer to chicken cordon bleu.
Easy crockpot Brunswick stew simmers chicken, ham, potatoes, lima beans, corn, and tomatoes into a hearty Southern slow cooker meal. Set-and-forget classic, feeds a crowd.
Spezzatino di vitello: cubed veal braised in Burgundy wine with smoky bacon, shallots, mushrooms, and tiny white onions. This traditional Italian veal stew is rustic elegance in a bowl.
Creamy cheddar pasta tossed with herb-seared chicken breast, sautéed zucchini and yellow summer squash. A hearty skillet dinner that hits comfort-food notes without drowning in heavy sauce.
Tender calamari rings tossed with slow-caramelized onion marmalade infused with chile oil. A simple, elegant Catalan appetizer served with crusty French bread.
Crisp mixed greens meet crunchy vegetables in a creamy sesame-peanut dressing spiked with lime and ginger. Roasted peanuts add texture while brown rice syrup brings subtle sweetness to balance the tangy, garlicky Asian-inspired flavors.
Homemade lamb stock from leftover leg-of-lamb bones simmered with celery, carrot, onion, tomato, and herbs. The kitchen-fundamental that turns a roast carcass into the base for stews, soups, and sauces.
If you love that sweet and sour taste, you will adore this succulent stew made with garbanzo beans and sweet potatoes.
Vegan lentil camp chili made entirely from dry, shelf-stable ingredients. Just add water and simmer for a hearty, spiced trail meal. Lightweight, packable, and no cooler needed.
Light pasta primavera with sea scallops, broccoli, mushrooms, and carrots in a broth-based sauce. No cream, no butter, just clean flavors and tender scallops.
Cajun meat loaf made with beef and pork, loaded with sautéed holy trinity vegetables, three kinds of pepper, Tabasco, and Worcestershire. A spicy Louisiana twist on a comfort food classic.
Hearty pork and beef chili simmered low with cocoa powder, cinnamon, cumin, and chili powder for deep, earthy heat. Pinto beans and cornmeal thicken the pot. Serve with sour cream, Parmesan, and chopped onions for a bold weeknight dinner.
Plump sweet raisins marry well with turkey meat, the pork mince adds richness and moistness and the generous quantity of fresh herbs lifts this stuffing out of the ordinary.
Szczupak po polsku is a classic Polish dish of gently poached pike (or whitefish, perch, or sole) topped with a warm butter sauce of chopped hard-boiled eggs, fresh dill, and lemon juice. Serve with rice or potatoes.
Grilled sirloin tip kabobs with zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, and onion marinated in Italian dressing. Served over bright lemon-parsley rice for a colorful dinner for two.
Manhattan-style fish chowder with grouper, fresh tomatoes, green peppers, and saffron simmered in sesame oil. A tomato-based seafood soup ready in under an hour.
Mom's go-to chicken cheese buns: canned chicken mixed with sharp cheddar spread, mayo, onion, and green pepper, stuffed into buns and baked in foil until warm and melty. Ready in 30 minutes.
Fasoulada, the classic Greek white bean soup with tomatoes, olive oil, leeks, and vegetables. A hearty vegetarian one-pot meal that's considered Greece's national dish.
A shortcut chicken and mushroom risotto made with long grain rice, cream of mushroom soup, and chicken broth. Creamy, comforting, and on the table in 40 minutes.
Elva's carne guisada with beef chuck braised in a cumin-spiced gravy with Rotel tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper. Tex-Mex comfort food ready in 40 minutes.
Celebrate the holiday by serving up this decadent delicious crab cake.
Cashew nut risotto with basmati and wild rice, mushrooms, red pepper, peas, and Parmesan. A British-style rice dish from legendary cook Marguerite Patten.
New England stuffed quahogs baked in the shell with chopped clam meat, mushrooms, onions, and buttery breadcrumb topping. A Rhode Island clam shack classic.
Ham and apple pie layered with chopped ham, Granny Smith apples, onion, and sage, topped with buttered mashed potatoes baked until golden. A savory cottage pie with a sweet-tart twist.
Low-fat tomato dip made with sieved cottage cheese, nonfat yogurt, ketchup, and tomato juice. A creamy, high-protein party dip with no cooking required. Ready in 10 minutes.
Italian braised lamb and potatoes with pecorino cheese, red capsicum, and garlic simmered in stock until fork-tender. A make-ahead casserole that tastes even better the next day.
Crispy pan-fried soft-shell crabs dredged in seasoned flour with paprika, garlic, and cayenne, served on toasted buns with Cajun mayo and scallions. A springtime Gulf Coast treat.
Capon of the North: Irish-style braised capon flamed with whiskey, simmered in red wine with bacon and allspice, finished with a silky egg yolk cream sauce.
Pasticcio di Maccheroni, the Greek baked pasta casserole layered with spiced ground beef, macaroni, grated cheese, and a rich béchamel crown.
The victual of choice to be served with vodka is of course caviar but other kinds of seafood and various salty morsels are also good choices.
Russian black bread for the bread machine: a dense, dark rye loaf colored and flavored with cocoa, instant coffee, vinegar, and caraway seeds. The hearty Slavic bread that pairs perfectly with smoked fish or hearty soups.
Stuffed pitta breads loaded with spice-rubbed roasted lamb, herbed couscous, griddled eggplant, and black olives in a balsamic-ginger dressing. A make-ahead meal that starts with an overnight marinade.
Cold pasta shell salad with chunky tuna, red kidney beans, olives, red onion, and red wine vinaigrette finished with grated Asiago. Protein-packed make-ahead lunch or potluck side.