Pasta recipes

Sybil Carter's homemade barbecue sauce starts with bacon drippings and builds layers of tangy tomato, brown sugar sweetness, mustard bite, and hot pepper heat. Doubles easily and keeps in the fridge for weeks.

Triple-decker smoked chicken club with kalamata olive tapenade, crispy turkey bacon, tomato, Vidalia onion, and cucumber on thick peasant bread. A Mediterranean twist on the classic.

Baked zucchini and ground beef casserole in a rich tomato sauce with cheddar, olives, and green peppers, topped with crusty Parmesan. A one-dish weeknight dinner.

Quick black bean chili with honey-roasted ham, sweet corn, broccoli, and tomato in a cumin-chili broth. Serve over rice with crusty sourdough on the side. Ready in 45 minutes.

Portuguese red bean soup with chorizo sausage, kidney beans, potatoes, tomatoes, and paprika in chicken broth. A hearty, smoky one-pot soup inspired by traditional Portuguese cooking.

Italian spaghetti sauce with three meats: beef, pork, and chicken simmered in tomato paste and Italian tomatoes with meatballs. A slow-cooked Sunday gravy that freezes well.

Green beans, carrots, and potatoes simmered in a spicy berbere and niter kebbeh sauce with tomatoes. This hearty Ethiopian vegetable w'et is vegetarian comfort food meant for scooping with injera.

Texas-style chunky chili made with diced beef chuck, no beans, simmered low for 2 hours with chili powder, cumin, jalapeno, and tomatoes. Bold, beefy, and authentic.

Individual cheese and tomato souffles made with Swiss, Parmesan, tomato paste, and a splash of dry sherry. Puffy, golden, and served straight from the ramekin.

Kotopoulo me bamyes, Greek chicken with okra in a cinnamon-scented tomato-wine sauce. A classic Greek summer stew with tender chicken, silky okra, and warm aromatic spice. Served with potatoes.

Provencal potatoes with tomatoes, shingled in olive oil with tomato paste and baked until crisp at the edges. Finished with Parmesan under the broiler for a quick rustic French side.

Easy Italian mushroom spaghetti sauce built from fresh roma tomatoes, tomato paste, and four herbs, simmered with plenty of mushrooms. Vegetarian as-is, or add meatballs or browned beef.

Stuffed polenta with meat sauce: two layers of Parmesan polenta sandwiching a meaty tomato-basil sauce and mozzarella, baked hot until bubbly. A lighter Italian alternative to lasagna.

Layered brown rice casserole with white beans, corn, tomatoes, and tamari sandwiched between two layers of cooked rice. A hearty vegan one-dish dinner with no added oil.

Caribbean-style baby back ribs marinated in a from-scratch sofrito with annatto oil, cilantro, Anaheim chile, guava jelly, and coffee liqueur. Baked low and slow until tender.

Bring some exotic flavor to your crockpot with this succulent dish made with eggplant, zucchini and black olives.