Pasta recipes

Classic Oysters Rockefeller baked on the half shell under a buttery spinach topping spiked with Pernod and anchovy, layered with crisp bacon and a browned breadcrumb crust. The New Orleans appetizer, done right at home.

Big-batch Texas-style chili from Tyler with 2 lbs ground beef, seven cloves of garlic, jalapenos, and a serious triple-pepper spice blend. Simmers for 3 hours until thick, rich, and fiery.

A make-ahead beef roast with a caper sauce. Thinly sliced and arranged on a plate or cubed and served as an appetizer.

Slow cooker lasagna with a homemade white sauce, ground beef, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and mozzarella cheese. All the layers without heating up the oven.

Stuffed cabbage rolls with brown rice, dillseed, marjoram, paprika, onions, and herbs wrapped in blanched cabbage leaves and braised in tomato-vermouth sauce. A vegetarian German Kohlrouladen.

Ham mousse in sherry aspic is a classic French charcuterie showpiece. Ground ham folded into whipped cream, set in a crystal-clear aspic with truffle and egg white garnishes.

Fowl gumbo with boiled chicken, okra, tomatoes, bell pepper, and celery in a rich brown gravy, finished with file powder. Serve over rice or cornbread for a true Southern bowl.

Black bean and corn stew with cumin, chili powder, sherry, cilantro, and honey. One cup pureed back in for a thick, creamy base. Vegan, high-fiber, and ready in an hour.

Oil-free curried chickpeas simmered with potatoes, tomatoes, and warm spices like cumin, cinnamon, coriander, and cloves. A naturally vegan one-pot meal that's rich, hearty, and packed with flavor.

Slow-simmered Italian pizza sauce built on canned plum tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, basil and tarragon. A balanced, herb-forward sauce that gets even better after an overnight chill in the fridge.

This sautéed babaganoush skips the grill and cooks cubed eggplant with onions, garlic, cumin, and coriander in a wok. Mashed with tahini and fresh lemon, it's a smoky, chunky dip served with warm pita.

A scrumptious exotic dish made with rice noodles, bean sprouts and hot chili peppers.

Thirty cloves of garlic, white wine, cinnamon, and cumin transform beef stew into a Greek stifado that smells like a Mediterranean kitchen. Topped with crumbled feta and crunchy walnuts for the finish.

New Mexico style chili built on coarse-ground beef and cracked wheat in place of beans, blended with mild and hot ground chile, green chiles, and chile caribe for a slow-simmered Southwestern bowl.

Tofu lovers will love this savory dish made from shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce and Japanese cucumbers.

Crayfish etouffee built on a deep buttery base of onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, simmered with tomato paste, white wine, and tender crayfish tails. The Cajun classic, served over rice. Best made a day ahead.