Pasta recipes

Meat-za pie with a ground beef crust topped with tomato paste, cheddar, Parmesan, and optional pepperoni. A pizza-meets-meatloaf hybrid that's ready in 30 minutes flat.

Vegan beet borscht with apple cider, caraway seeds, and molasses simmered for hours then partially pureed for rich, complex vegetarian soup served hot or cold.

Plump shrimp seared with loads of garlic, blistered green beans, fresh ginger, and a hit of chili-garlic paste. Finished with lime juice and sesame oil for a bright, savory weeknight stir-fry.

A rich and delicious lasagna made with italian sausage, ground beef and a variety of scrumptious cheeses.

I was surprised at how good this was. I will add fresh cilantro next time, and fresh veggies such as corn and green onion, celery. Was not spicy enough for my taste, so maybe add jalepeno next time as well. I enjoy this recipe!

H. Allen Smith's legendary no-bean chili: 4 pounds of coarse-ground sirloin simmered for 3 hours with dried hot chilis, Mexican oregano, and cumin. Pure Texas-style chili, the way the purists intended.

Phanang curry paste pounded from dried red chiles, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, coriander root, cumin, and shrimp paste. An authentic Thai curry paste made from scratch.

Southwest riblets baked in a mole-inspired sauce with ground red chiles, unsweetened chocolate, juniper berries, tomato paste, and apple cider vinegar. A smoky, complex, slightly bitter glaze on tender pork back ribs.

Homemade Thai curry spice paste with dried red chilies, coriander, garlic, shallots, anchovy, and lemon zest. Keeps two months in the fridge for quick weeknight curries.

A Louisiana-style turkey gumbo loaded with sauteed okra, the holy trinity of celery, onion, and green pepper, fresh and canned tomatoes, and file powder, served over rice. Leftover turkey gets a bayou soul in 40 minutes.

Texas-style chili with cubed beef chuck, no beans, simmered with chili powder, green peppers, tomatoes, and oregano. Topped with cheese and raw onion.

Provencal onion soup with eggplant, zucchini, tomato paste, and fresh basil simmered in red wine. A low-fat, vegetable-rich French soup with no butter or cheese.

Crispy tofu and tender-crisp green beans tossed in a spicy hoisin chili sauce. This 30-minute Chinese vegetarian stir-fry is packed with savory heat and works beautifully over steamed rice.

San Francisco seafood casserole bakes mussels, shrimp, and white fish in a tomato-wine-clam juice broth. A streamlined cioppino in casserole form, ready in under an hour.

Osso buco braises veal shanks in onion butter, white wine, and tomato until fall-apart tender, then finishes with gremolata of garlic, parsley, and lemon zest. A Milanese classic for special dinners.

A very hearty and nutritious meal, one which will certainly satisfy every appetite!