Pasta recipes

Japanese braised eggplant stuffed with tempeh, mushrooms, and bell pepper in a sherry-soy-molasses sauce. A hearty vegetarian main served over brown rice.

Vegetarian tamale pie with a golden cornmeal crust wrapped top and bottom around a spiced bean-and-barley filling loaded with corn, ripe olives, and sweet red pepper. A hearty meatless main baked until the cheese bubbles.

Try this succulent crockpot dish that is made with italian sausage, jalapeno peppers and taco sauce.

Herb-packed chickpea falafel patties loaded with cumin, basil, marjoram, thyme, and tahini, pan-fried until golden brown and stuffed into whole wheat pita pockets with fresh veggies.

Paprika is an excellent spice in this recipe, giving the chicken incredibly delicious flavour.

Greek-style turkey stuffing with three meats, chestnuts, pine nuts, and white raisins simmered in red wine and tomato paste. A meat-forward holiday stuffing with rice instead of bread cubes.

Modern fajitas with flank steak marinated overnight in a chili-cocoa-tequila rub, then grilled and sliced for tortillas. Served with guacamole, refried beans, salsa, and cilantro for a smoky Tex-Mex spread.

Braised lamb shoulder and merguez-style sausages served over couscous with a cumin and cayenne broth. A North African-inspired feast with carrots, zucchini, and white wine.

Unsloppy Joes are vegetarian sloppy joes with kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, and diced vegetables served in hollowed-out kaiser rolls. Low-fat, hearty, and mess-free.

Creole shrimp stew with a peanut-brown roux, the holy trinity of celery, onion, and bell pepper, and tender shrimp simmered just until pink. Served over hot rice.

Gow gees are crispy fried Chinese dumplings filled with pork, shrimp, dried mushrooms, and scallions. Served with classic homemade sweet and sour sauce. Makes 48 for a crowd.

Crawfish tails baked in a rich custard of cream, eggs, and Swiss cheese with sautéed vegetables, cognac, and sautérne. A Cajun-French quiche that's pure indulgence.

Classic French Provencal dish usually cooked in a heavy casserole on the stove top or in the oven; would also work well in slow cooker. Use inexpensive stewing beef or oyster blade; it will not be anywhere near as good if you use more expensive cuts of beef.

Sun Dance chili with coarse-ground beef, ground chile peppers, mushrooms, and kidney beans simmered for two hours. A hearty, from-scratch chili that uses real ground chiles instead of chili powder.

Competition-style Texas chili with 4 pounds of cubed round steak, 14 spices including curry and cinnamon, green chiles, and a secret weapon: milk chocolate melted in at the end.