Thai red or green curry paste: a homemade aromatic blend of chilies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, shrimp paste, ginger, and coriander. The from-scratch base for authentic Thai curries.
Cold ramen noodle salad with shredded cabbage, cheddar cheese, and a tangy vinegar-mustard dressing. A crunchy, budget-friendly side dish that chills in under an hour.
Vegan garbanzo squash stew with chickpeas, winter squash, tomatoes, and fresh spinach simmered in spicy tomato broth. A high-fiber plant-based one-pot stew that comes together in under an hour.
Cauliflower broccoli cheese bake with sauteed vegetables layered in cheesy gravy, topped with nutritional yeast and paprika. A vegan-friendly casserole with a savory, golden crust.
Vegan Peking-style raviolis stuff egg roll wrappers with roasted eggplant, garlic, soy, ginger, and scallions. Boiled dumpling-ravioli hybrid for an unexpected vegetable starter.
Garlic shrimp linguine with rosemary, oregano, and a touch of cayenne. Eight cloves of garlic, lemon-spiked olive oil, fresh spinach and tomato, finished with parmesan.
Tandoori duck marinated in spiced yogurt with cumin, cardamom, and cayenne, then grilled and served over red lentils. Skinned for less fat, the yogurt marinade keeps the meat juicy and tender.
Mesquite-smoked beef brisket on a gas grill rotisserie, rubbed with paprika and cayenne, then basted for hours in a beer-spiked barbecue sauce. Slice it thin and watch it fall apart on the cutting board.
Barbequed beef short ribs slow-bake in a homemade tangy ketchup-Worcestershire sauce until tender enough to slip from the bone. Sticky, smoky oven ribs without a grill.
Cajun corn chowder with Mexicorn, frozen corn, skim milk, and chicken broth seasoned with cayenne, paprika, and celery seed. A spiced creamy corn soup that improves with resting.
Fresh asparagus spears nestle into a creamy egg and cheese custard spiked with dill and tarragon for a springtime quiche that's as elegant for brunch as it is satisfying for dinner.
Pantry-staple salmon cakes from canned salmon, cracker crumbs, and eggs, browned in butter and served with mushroom or celery soup sauce and fresh fennel. Old-school weeknight dinner in 30 minutes.
Cajun dry-rub pork ribs: paprika, three peppers (white, black, red flake), garlic, onion, thyme, and oregano pressed into pork ribs and grilled low and slow over indirect heat. Bayou-style barbecue without sauce.
Homemade bourbon barbecue sauce with molasses, ketchup, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, and dry mustard simmered until thick and smoky. A rich, complex glaze for ribs, chicken, or brisket.
Pork spareribs marinated overnight in pineapple juice, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar, then steamed and grilled with a homemade citrus BBQ sauce. A three-step process for fall-off-the-bone ribs.
Thai-style seafood soup with shrimp, crab claws, mussels, and fish in a galangal-lemongrass-lime leaf broth built on a slow-cooked garlic-chili paste. Bold, sour, and aromatic.