Pasta recipes

BBQ chicken burgers with tangy tomato, Worcestershire, and hot sauce blended right into the patty, topped with a sweet honey-lemon cabbage slaw on cornmeal kaiser rolls. Weeknight-ready in about 30 minutes.

Creamy beef stroganoff with sirloin filet, sauteed mushrooms, blanched pearl onions, and a rich creme fraiche sauce spiked with Dijon, paprika, and demi-glace. Restaurant-style dinner over buttered noodles.

Chilled shrimp cocktail with brandy-spiked lemon cream sauce, studded with crisp apple and fresh herbs. Elegant Italian appetizer.

Bacon Caesar salad with a creamy homemade dressing emulsified from scratch with garlic, anchovy, lemon and mustard, then tossed with crisp romaine, crumbled bacon, croutons and parmesan. Restaurant-style at home.

Baked marinated tofu over saucy cabbage with tomato paste, dill, currants, and minced pickle, served on rice. A hearty vegetarian main with Eastern European flair.

Tangy grilled chicken with a Scotch bonnet and white wine marinade, sweetened with tomato paste and brightened with vinegar. A Caribbean-inflected chicken built for hot coals.

Loaded shepherd's pie packs ground beef, mushrooms, peas and tomatoes into a rich brown gravy under a crispy mashed potato crust. A hearty, all-in-one casserole baked until golden on top.

Pon pon chicken (bang bang chicken) shreds poached chicken over salted cucumber ribbons with a warm sesame-soy-ginger dressing. Classic Sichuan cold-plate appetizer or main.

Dad's shepherd's pie: ground beef with mushrooms, tomato and brown gravy, topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and baked until the crust turns golden brown. Sunday-supper comfort food.

Corn on the cob drenched in a from-scratch British barbecue sauce with malt vinegar, Worcestershire, ginger, green chili, and a splash of dry sherry. Tangy, smoky, and utterly different.

Kansas City-style barbecue sauce simmered from scratch with tomato paste, brown sugar, honey, beef stock, and a bold spice blend. Thick, sweet, tangy, and smoky.

Barbecue pulled chicken made in a slow cooker with smoky chipotle, green chiles, honey, and cider vinegar. Hands-off comfort food that piles high on buns or over rice.

Baked falafel patties with chickpeas, tahini, parsley, cumin, and garlic. Oven-baked until golden and crusty, with a fry option for reheating. A lighter take on falafel.

Tom's Oysters Rockefeller: oysters baked under a rich green sauce of pureed spinach, scallion, celery, and parsley, seasoned with anchovy, anise, and Tabasco. The classic New Orleans baked oyster, done right.

Rich shrimp bisque built from sautéed shells, fish stock, brandy, paprika, heavy cream, and dry sherry. A classic French technique that extracts every ounce of shrimp flavor.

Baked chicken drumsticks coated in a sticky honey-ketchup glaze with five spice powder, Worcestershire, and chili sauce. Finger-licking glazed drumsticks great hot or cold.