Recipe Sifter

We like this piquant tomato sauce, which is easy on the calories, but if you are in the mood to indulge, try cream in place of the ricotta and yogurt.

Tender beef chunks simmer for hours with tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and peas in this hearty Italian-style stew. Basil, dill, and thyme add layers of herb-forward comfort to every spoonful.

Seattle-style cioppino loaded with Dungeness crab, mussels, red snapper, shrimp, and calamari in a red wine sweet pepper sauce. A Pacific Northwest seafood stew that feeds 8.

Mexican stuffed pasta shells filled with seasoned refried beans, cumin, and chili powder, topped with black olives and melted Monterey Jack. A vegetarian Italian-Mexican fusion ready in 40 minutes.

A vibrant green onion dressing blitzed smooth from scallions, Dijon, garlic, and champagne vinegar with a slow stream of olive oil. Punchy and bright, it wakes up mild greens like iceberg and Boston lettuce.

Zucchini, bell pepper, and tomato frittata cooks down summer vegetables in olive oil before folding into 6 beaten eggs and finishing in the oven. Naturally gluten-free Italian-style brunch dish.

Classic French beurre blanc with fresh basil, Chablis, shallots, clam juice, and cream whisked with butter until velvety smooth. A luxurious 30-minute sauce built for seafood.

Warm lobster tacos pair seared lobster medallions, jalapeño jack, and shredded spinach in flour tortillas, served over a bright yellow tomato salsa with serrano and lime.

Butter-seared shrimp served over a pool of emulsified green onion and basil butter sauce made with champagne vinegar and chicken stock. A refined, restaurant-quality plate ready in 30 minutes.

Louisiana shrimp simmered in spicy beer broth with garlic, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and cayenne. Peel-and-eat heaven, served hot or chilled with lemon wedges. Cajun shrimp boil for two.

Pot roast with Dijon mustard sauce: chuck roast simmered in beef broth and white wine, then served with a tangy mustard pan sauce thickened with cornstarch. Elegant French-style braise.

Amazing taco pasta salad loaded with black beans, corn, tomatoes, Mexican-blend cheese, and olives in a cumin-lime dressing, finished with cilantro and avocado. A zesty, vegetarian Tex-Mex potluck salad.

Creamy sweet potato soup pureed silky smooth, topped with butter-toasted pecans and creme fraiche. Made with leeks, carrots, white wine, and a russet potato for extra body.

Flank steak pinwheels rolled around herbed cheddar, sun-dried tomatoes, and baby spinach, then grilled until charred on the outside and pink in the middle. A showstopping grilled beef dinner for four.

Chilled Bloody Mary soup with sauteed vegetables, tomato juice, Tabasco, and Worcestershire, served with a shot of ice-cold vodka at the table. A crowd-size cocktail in a bowl.

Cheddar-and-green-chile corn casserole. Dump everything in a bowl, pour into a baking dish, bake. Tex-Mex side that goes with everything from chili to barbecue.