Pasta recipes

Indian gazpacho with hot green chiles, garlic, and dry red wine in a chilled tomato-based vegetable soup. The South Asian spin on Spanish gazpacho with a slow-burn heat.

Tender beef steak strips, mushrooms with egg noodles in a tangy sauce. Perfectly sized for two servings and it's all cooked in one pan for a no-fuss weekday main dish.

Beef and Italian sausage chili with a tablespoon of instant coffee for depth, two kinds of beans (kidney and refried), and a Monterey Jack topping. Captain's recipe.

So to start off with the first post, I decided to make a meal that screams of comfort food. Whilst it does take a bit of a while to get the meal done, once you take that first bite, heaven couldn’t seem closer if you were Adam trying to touch God’s finger in the “Creation of Adam” fresco created by Michaelangelo. The meal I speak of is Cottage Pie. There is much debate as to what exactly a cottage pie is and how it is different to a Shepherd’s pie...I don’t know. The dominant theory is that Sheperds pie uses lamb mince, whilst a cottage pie uses beef mince. I don’t know about you, but the term “Sheperds Pie” does not get my tastebuds going quite as well, so I prefer the term cottage pie. Besides, comparing the price of ground (mince) beef to ground lamb, a student would pick up the beef mince in a heartbeat without even so much as glancing at the lamb in the meat section. This cottage pie that I made is full of flavour, and just makes you want to cuddle up next to a fire and watch TCM movies all day either by yourself, or with a significant other. Here is the recipe:

A unique burrito like "stack" made in your crockpot, cheesy and tasty.

A spicy traditional chili that can be left to simmer while you are at work.

This was a family favorite when I was growing up and became a must-have with my young sons. Zesty thick chili served over Fritos - This recipe will become a family favorite!!!

Tired of cooking chicken the plain old style? How about making it Thai style this time! And with a hint of tamarind added to it, there is no way you can keep yourself from licking the last morsel of it left off the plate. What’s more? It is quick and easy to make and can be prepared in a jiffy whenever you have unannounced guests at home. A classic Thai recipe, this sweet and sour chicken stir fry even though is a meal by itself but when served with fragrant jasmine rice they take the eating experience to a whole new level. Try is right away!

Beef chili with kidney beans, tomato puree, green chiles and a finishing stir of bittersweet chocolate. Mole-inspired depth from cocoa balances the heat. A 1-hour one-pot weeknight dinner.

Classic Greek moussaka with layers of browned eggplant, seasoned ground beef with red wine and cinnamon, and a rich bechamel sauce baked until golden and bubbling. A hearty Mediterranean casserole that serves 10.

These mini pizza muffins are quick-easy to make, and very tasty. They won't last long, kids and adults gobble them up in record breaking time. Great for a snack and they freeze very well (that is if you can get them into the freezer before someone eats them all!)

I've made this one for decades, and it is the one I keep going back to. More than one meat-lover has mistaken the bulgur for ground beef.

We loved it and used it in the Turkey Lasagna recipe.

Spicy vegan stew of tender chickpeas and hearty kale simmered in a tomato base loaded with chili powder, cumin, oregano, and red pepper flakes. A high-fiber, protein-packed meatless bowl with real backbone.

Green pepper and tomato soup with a mortar-pounded garlic-herb paste, saffron, and rice stirred in at the end. A Provencal-style vegetable soup with Parmesan garnish.

Great comfort food. Its simplicity makes it a dish loved by many. The ingredient that makes this recipe special is the cottage cheese, which is not traditionally used in lasagna.