Recipe Sifter

Beef and Broccoli with Garlic Sauce: a classic Chinese stir-fry with velveted beef strips, blanched broccoli, brown bean sauce, garlic, ginger, and bamboo shoots. Ready in 30 minutes.

Poor Man's Jambalaya with tasso ham, andouille sausage, the Cajun holy trinity, and gumbo file seasoning - all cooked in one cast iron skillet in about 70 minutes.

Keftedes tiganites are fried Greek meatballs with allspice, fresh mint, parsley, red wine, and soaked bread. Walnut-sized, flour-dredged, and fried crispy for a traditional Greek mezze or main dish.

Mexicali rice casserole with ground beef, double salsa, tomato soup, sour cream, and melted cheddar on top. A cheesy, crowd-feeding Tex-Mex weeknight dinner.

Herbed pork cutlets with Greek vegetable salad, cucumber yogurt, and couscous. A complete Mediterranean dinner plate with a lemon-oregano marinade that does triple duty.

Chicken liver and prosciutto lasagne layered with ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella in a rich wine-tomato sauce. An Italian-style baked pasta worth the effort.

Roasted habanero salsa with 10 grilled habaneros, oven-roasted Roma tomatoes, lime juice, and cilantro. Extremely hot, keeps in the fridge for weeks.

Roast loin of lamb stuffed with soft-cooked apples, ginger, and lemon juice. An Irish-inspired main dish roast with sweet fruit tucked inside and garlic slivered into the fat.

Green beans and butternut squash glazed in currant jelly, garlic butter, basil, and lemon juice, topped with toasted walnuts. A make-ahead holiday side dish.

Kalamarakia Tursi is a Greek pickled squid appetizer simmered in olive oil with rosemary and parsley, then marinated in white vinegar with garlic and peppercorns. Serve cold as a tangy meze.

Crustless crawfish quiche made with Bisquick, cheddar cheese, and sauteed crawfish tails with garlic and celery. A no-fuss, one-dish Cajun brunch or dinner in about an hour.

Old Munich sauerbraten: beef marinated for days in a spiced vinegar bath, then clay-pot braised until fork-tender in a sweet-sour gravy thickened with gingersnaps. Authentic Bavarian pot roast for potato pancakes.

Crockpot menudo, the traditional Mexican tripe and hominy soup made easy in the slow cooker. Tender tripe, posole, chile, and a calf's foot simmer all day into a rich, deeply savory bowl.

Slow cooker pork, potato, and green bean stew: pork loin simmered with potatoes, onions, garlic, and green beans in a thyme-scented broth. Set it in the morning, come home to dinner.

Roasted butternut squash and cauliflower pile onto a bed of creamy Parmesan polenta spiked with rosemary. A hearty vegetarian main that's equal parts rustic Italian comfort and weeknight simple.

Classic duck a l'orange roasted with sweet red wine and served with a glossy orange sauce made from fresh juice, honey, ginger, and orange sections. A French bistro showstopper you can absolutely pull off at home.