Pasta recipes

Classic Italian lasagna with layers of beef and mushroom tomato sauce, spinach-cottage cheese ricotta substitute, and melted mozzarella. The Sunday-supper bake that always feeds a crowd.

Thakkali isso is a Sri Lankan prawn and tomato curry simmered in two rounds of coconut milk with lemongrass, cardamom, fenugreek, and curry leaves. Finished with lime and curry powder.

Rustic vegetable barley soup simmered with carrots, corn, peas, spinach, and garlic in a blended tomato-marjoram broth. Vegan comfort food that feeds 8 from one pot.

Quick Chinese-style chicken stir-fry with shredded breast, bamboo shoots, zucchini, and bell peppers tossed in chili bean sauce and dark soy for a fiery weeknight dinner.

Italian-style party meatballs with Parmesan and rolled oats simmered in a homemade tomato-oregano-basil sauce. Serve in a chafing dish for easy entertaining and cocktail parties.

Keema mattar is an Indian ground lamb curry with green peas, cooked in ghee with cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, and whole cloves. Serve with naan or rice.

A North African-inspired vegetarian stew with chickpeas, butternut squash, turnips, and carrots simmered with harissa and served over fluffy couscous. Warm, spiced, and feeds 8.

Stuffed poblano chiles filled with ripe olives, ricotta and Monterey Jack, baked and finished with a quick olive mole sauce of tomato, cumin, chili powder and beef stock.

Hunter's chili with cubed venison chuck simmered three hours with tomatoes, green pepper, and oregano. A no-beans, no-fuss wild game chili for the freezer hunter.

Baked chicken drumsticks coated in a sticky honey-ketchup glaze with five spice powder, Worcestershire, and chili sauce. Finger-licking glazed drumsticks great hot or cold.

Quick chicken skillet stew loaded with red potatoes, celery, bell pepper, and a rosemary tomato broth. A one-pan weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes.

Santa Fe red pork chili with coarsely ground pork shoulder, beer, stewed tomatoes, and layers of cumin and chili powder. No beans, no shortcuts. A thick, meaty Tex-Mex red chili simmered low and slow.

Dad's shepherd's pie: ground beef with mushrooms, tomato and brown gravy, topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and baked until the crust turns golden brown. Sunday-supper comfort food.

Slow cooker Southwestern beef and pinto beans with salt pork, red chili, cumin seeds, and tomato paste. Set it and forget it for 9-10 hours of hands-off cooking.

Hungarian goulash soup with tender beef cubes, paprika, green peppers, and caraway seeds simmered in beef stock. A hearty one-pot soup that tastes even better the next day.

Curried deer (venison) stew with curry powder, tomato paste, raisins, grapes, and diced apple simmered for 90 minutes. A sweet-savory game curry that tames venison's wild flavor.