Main Dish Recipes

Spiced beef roast braised in beer and beef broth with thyme, bay leaf, and brown sugar. Cubed stewing beef baked until fork-tender with mixed vegetables added at the end.

An old-fashioned Mexican beef chili: diced beef braised with garlic, cumin and oregano in a smooth purée of dried chiles, served with a border of fried refried beans. Real chiles, real depth.

Texas-style chili con carne with diced beef, whole red chili pods, paprika, and a cornmeal-flour thickener. No beans, no tomato, just deep meaty heat from a long slow simmer.

Homemade egg pasta layered with ricotta-spinach filling, fresh tomato-red wine sauce, mozzarella, and silky bechamel. A from-scratch vegetarian lasagna worth every minute.

Spinach crepes filled with a roux-based spinach and nutmeg sauce, then baked until set. A simple vegetarian main dish with classic French technique.

Chicken breasts rolled around tender fiddlehead ferns, breaded and browned, then baked in a glossy sherry-mushroom sauce with bacon and tomatoes. A unique Canadian-inspired spring dinner that celebrates foraged greens.

Slow cooker butternut squash with apples layered with brown sugar, butter, and mace. A sweet, caramelized side dish that cooks hands-free for hours.

A traditional British steamed pudding filled with beef shin, sausage meat balls, and onion rings in a Marmite-enriched gravy, all wrapped in a suet pastry crust. Proper comfort food, steamed low and slow.

Stewart's Salad is a layered retro Jell-O salad with sugar-free lemon jello and pineapple, a fluffy cream cheese middle, and a golden pineapple-juice custard topping. A diabetic-friendly potluck classic.

A no-yeast pizza dough made by stirring flour, baking powder, oil, and milk into a quick crust you can roll and top in minutes. No rising time, no kneading, just pizza night made simple.

A Sauerbraten-style pot roast marinated 3 days in vinegar and spices, braised until fork-tender, and finished with a gingersnap-thickened gravy. Old-world flavor worth the wait.

Brown sugar-dredged pork chops braised in a honey-soy-sesame sauce with onions and green pepper. Finished with toasted sesame seeds for nutty crunch. Easy one-dish pork dinner.

Bacon-topped baked chicken thighs drizzled with a honey-Dijon-curry glaze and a whisper of cayenne. Crispy, sticky, and savory with a sweet kick. Weeknight dinner gold.

Pan-fried sweetbreads and button mushrooms baked under a golden yogurt, egg, and cheese gratin. A refined dinner for two that's ready in an hour.

A simple all-butter pastry dough made by hand: flour and cold butter rubbed together, bound with a little water, then chilled to rest. A flaky, versatile base for pies, tarts, and galettes.

Pan-seared chicken breasts smothered in a buttery white wine tarragon sauce with sautéed mushrooms and shallots. Elegant enough for date night, easy enough for a Tuesday.