Cincinnati-style chili with ground beef simmered in a sweet-savory sauce of cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cocoa-adjacent spices, and molasses, served over spaghetti with cheese and hot peppers. A Midwestern classic.
Veal cutlets pan-fried with capers and deglazed with white wine and bay leaf, finished with a creamy evaporated milk sauce. A quick German-style schnitzel variation ready in 20 minutes.
Beef chili with dried white navy beans, slow-simmered 4 hours with cumin, paprika, cayenne, and oregano. A no-tomato chili with deep, smoky spice and hearty texture.
Lemon chicken casserole with browned breast pieces baked under lemon slices, brown sugar, and chicken broth. A sweet-tart baked chicken dinner with caramelized lemon glaze, served over wild rice.
Kapusniak is a Polish fresh cabbage soup with browned pork, paprika, bay leaf, and a splash of sherry, finished with sour cream. A 65-minute warming Eastern European bowl.
Potato salad with smoked turkey, artichoke hearts, and green olives in a cumin-spiked lemon-garlic vinaigrette. A mayo-free, Mediterranean-inspired picnic salad.
Budget turkey barbecue sandwiches with a homemade sweet and tangy sauce, sauerkraut, and leftover cooked turkey. An easy, wallet-friendly weeknight dinner on buns.
Plantation-style catfish fillets: crisp pan-fried catfish served over garlicky sauteed spinach and tomatoes, finished with parmesan and a pass under the broiler. A Southern supper with Creole flair.
Veal paprika with mushrooms, sour cream, and caraway seeds cooked entirely in the microwave. A quick Hungarian-style stew served over noodles in 40 minutes.
Oysters Philadelphia: sherry-poached oysters on a bed of sauteed celery, topped with bechamel, Parmesan, and paprika, then baked golden on rock salt. An elegant holiday appetizer.
Homemade hummus from dried chickpeas with tomato puree, garlic, lemon, cumin, and paprika. A tahini-free, tomato-tinged version with deeper bean-forward flavor.
Swiss cheese and mushroom quiche with sauteed onions, thyme, and dry mustard in a smooth egg custard. Baked in a pie crust and good hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Ethiopian-style mixed vegetable stew (atkilt alicha) built on berbere spice and ghee. Green beans, carrots and potatoes simmered in tomato broth, ready in 45 minutes. Vegetarian, deeply spiced.
Stuffed oranges filled with wild rice, chickpeas, and raisins bound in an orange-tahini sauce. A vegetarian Middle Eastern-inspired dish served in the orange shell itself.
Veal fettuccine with oysters and artichokes is a buttery Louisiana-style pasta where seared veal strips, plump oysters, and quartered artichoke hearts swim in a peppery cream sauce built from oyster liquor.
Feta and scallion omelet seasoned with paprika and fresh dill, folded soft and fluffy. A quick brunch omelet with a Russian-style salty-cheese filling that comes together in minutes.