Recipe Sifter

Grilled sweet potatoes, corn, and poblano peppers meet wild rice in this smoky vegetable chowder brightened with lime and fresh thyme. Grill or roast for depth.

This rich, earthy soup has but 100 calories per serving if made with non-fat milk.

The cream of mushroom soup works well with the turkey in this dish and can be used as a light lunch or dinner.

Chunky sweet potato soup loaded with carrots, celery, peas, and herbs, finished with nonfat sour cream and skim milk. A big-batch comfort soup that serves 16 and feels lighter than it tastes.

Lacto-vegetarian sweet potato soup with carrots, celery, peas, and a triple-herb blend of thyme, basil, and tarragon. Finished with nonfat sour cream for a lighter, meatless comfort bowl.

These may be served in a sandwich, as an appetizer or as a main dish with pasta and tomato sauce.

Crusty Pennsylvania Dutch scrapple from scratch: pork ribs and liver simmered with sage, thyme, and cayenne, then bound with coarse cornmeal, set in pans, sliced and pan-fried for breakfast.

Oxtail is one of the most economical and most flavorful cuts of meat, and one that takes well to marinating for days in a hearty mixture of red wine, herbs, and vegetables. The longer you marinate the mixture, the more flavorful it will be, but be sure it marinates at least 3 days. Oxtail is also a fatty cut -- give yourself plenty of time to allow the stew to cook and then cool, so all the fat can be skimmed off. Serve this with thick noodles in warmed soup bowls, accompanied by a tossed salad, and of course, a robust red wine.

Grilled chicken kabobs glazed with honey Dijon mustard, threaded with red potatoes, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes. A colorful, protein-packed skewer dinner that's ready in one hour.

Curried corn chowder pulses half the corn into a silky puree, then folds in whole kernels with onion, peppers, cumin, and curry powder. Dairy-free, light-bodied, and ready in 40 minutes.

Homemade Boursin-style garlic and herb cheese spread with cream cheese, butter, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, thyme, and marjoram. The classic French appetizer made at home for a fraction of the boutique cheese price.

Easy pot-au-feu with lean pork, leeks, carrots, and mixed vegetables simmered in beef broth with thyme and marjoram. A simplified French one-pot dinner ready in 90 minutes.

Roasted pepper salad with multicolored bell peppers in a balsamic vinaigrette spiked with anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, and shallots. A make-ahead antipasto that improves overnight.

Classic quiche Lorraine with bacon, Swiss cheese, and thyme-sauteed onions in a homemade butter crust. Five whole eggs plus two yolks create an extra-rich, silky custard filling.

New Orleans-style barbecued shrimp baked in butter, garlic, cracked black pepper, Worcestershire, and Tabasco. Not grilled, oven-roasted in a peppery butter bath.

Tired of making the same old stew? Then try this simple recipe that will having you making a savory and succulent dish in no time!