Recipe Sifter

Quick couscous bowl: pearl couscous steeped in chicken broth, topped with sauteed zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and a can of minestrone. 20-minute pantry dinner that feels homemade.

Cantonese shrimp in lobster sauce with ground pork, fermented black beans, garlic, and silky beaten egg ribbons. The takeout classic, made from scratch.

Thai jungle curry (kaeng paa) is the fiery, coconut-free curry, a brothy, herbaceous bowl of pork, eggplant, and long beans simmered with curry paste, kaffir lime, and basil. Light, intense, and ready fast.

Chilled spicy shrimp poached in vinegar, broth, dry mustard, and hot sauce. A make-ahead appetizer with bold tangy heat and clean shrimp flavor.

Chunky Southwestern chicken stew with kielbasa, potatoes, zucchini, summer squash, and corn in a cumin-tomato broth. A Dutch oven crowd-feeder that serves 8.

Spinach ricotta stuffed shells with a cabbage twist, baked in tomato-broth sauce with nutmeg. A lighter Italian-American main with hidden-vegetable smarts.

Mussel and corn chowder with a silky milled corn base, steamed mussels, and sweet red pepper. A coastal New England twist on classic corn chowder, ready in about 40 minutes.

Quick Tex-Mex corn soup with creamed corn, whole kernels, red bell pepper, and red pepper flakes in chicken broth. Ready in 20 minutes with pantry staples.

Lentil salad with smoked turkey, fresh tarragon, and a tangy yogurt-Dijon dressing. A protein-packed main-dish salad that holds up beautifully for lunch the next day.

Sizzling Sichuan scallops wok-tossed with ginger, garlic, chili paste, and crunchy cucumber, then poured hot onto a screaming cast iron platter at the table. Pure drama.

Easy chicken and dumplings using a flour tortilla shortcut that tastes just like homemade. Tender chicken simmers in rich broth with sliced tortilla strips. Ready in 40 minutes, serves 8.

Portuguese fisherman's stew with white beans, whitefish, stewed tomatoes, and thyme. The fish poaches separately in lemon water to stay tender, then joins the hearty bean broth.

Meatless black bean and bulgur chili with red and green peppers, carrots, cumin, and coriander. A hearty vegetarian chili that's thick, spiced, and loaded with fiber.

Hearty Creole gumbo pot loaded with shrimp, eggplant, okra, corn, and rice in a smoky paprika-tomato broth. One pot, one hour, six happy bowls.

Spiced hamburgers with chili powder, cumin, and cracked black pepper seared in cast iron, served with a shallot red wine pan sauce. Restaurant-style burgers at home.

Bacon and cheddar beer soup with sauteed potatoes, carrots, celery and onions, simmered in chicken broth with a can of bacon-cheddar cheese sauce, beer, paprika and a hint of liquid smoke. A hearty pub-style chowder.