Pasta recipes

Beef and pork chili with four pounds of ground meat, pinto beans, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, and oregano simmered for two hours. A big-batch, no-shortcuts meat chili topped with cheddar.

Pizza sandwiches turn toasted English muffins into quick mini pizzas, topped with a homemade herb tomato sauce, cottage cheese, and parmesan, then broiled bubbly. A fast, lighter take on pizza night for snacks or lunch.

So flavorful. Loved the topping varieties, and they went deliciously well with the soup. Will recommend this recipe.

Fourby chili: a vegan black bean chili simmered in stout beer with peanut butter for depth, corn for sweetness, and broccoli florets on top for crunch. An unconventional, deeply flavored chili worth the slow cook.

Louisiana Shrimp with Tomato/Vidalia Onion Sauce recipe

Halibut steaks Marengo with a rich tomato-mushroom sauce, Greek olives, and a parsley-garlic-lemon gremolata. A classic French-inspired fish dish thickened with beurre manie.

Seafood gumbo built on a butter-flour roux with shrimp, okra, tomatoes, chili powder, and Worcestershire, served over rice with filé powder. Where Louisiana bayou meets Texas ranch country.

Feed your hungry family with this hearty casserole that is made with mushrooms and peppers.

One-pot baked rice with broccoli, kidney beans, peppers, and tomatoes simmered in vegetable stock. Hearty vegetarian main dish topped with melted Monterey Jack.

Venison chili with both ground and chunked deer meat simmered for two hours in a cumin-oregano-cayenne tomato sauce with kidney beans and hot chili peppers. Lean, hearty, and full of wild game flavor.

Slow cooker Tucson-style chili with ground beef, pinto beans, green chiles, jalapeños and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Classic Southwestern crockpot chili for a crowd.

Lean turkey and pinto bean chili with bell peppers, jalapeño, and chili powder. Hearty pot of chili in an hour with cooking spray instead of oil for a lighter base.

Duck gumbo simmers deboned duck in a dark butter roux with okra, tomatoes, and the Cajun holy trinity for a rich bayou stew. Ladle over rice for a Louisiana cold-weather classic.

Classic Louisiana shrimp Creole built on a dark roux with the holy trinity, tomatoes, and bay leaves. Simmered low and slow for deep, soulful flavor, served over rice.

Spicy ground pork chili with kidney beans, diced tomatoes, red and green bell peppers, and triple heat from cayenne, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce.

Hearty Russian beet soup (borscht) loaded with beef, bacon, kielbasa, cabbage, potatoes, and navy beans in a sweet-sour broth. A slow-simmered weekend project topped with sour cream.