Recipe Sifter

I use crushed Ritz crackers instead of bread crumbs and add 2/3 cup of shredded sharp Cheddar. A simple gravy to go along with the meatloaf can also be made using another packet of soup mix, 2 Tbs. flour and 2 cups of cold water. Simmer until thickened.

This soup came out so tasty and flavorful. The pan-fried tortilla strips added some nice crunch, and I also served the soup with some sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese, cilantro and scallions. It was an easy, light yet tasty soup.

Roasted winter squash and chicken thighs braise with prunes, garlic, cinnamon, and fresh orange into a North African-leaning one-pan dinner. Sweet, savory, and built for cold weather.

Spicy Italian sausage and lean beef simmer with tomatoes, mushrooms, and balsamic vinegar beneath a Parmesan-spiked potato crust for a hearty British classic with Italian flair.

Chicken gyros with cucumber salsa and tsatsiki turn leftover roast chicken into a fast Greek dinner. Garlic-herb oil, cool yogurt sauce, crunchy cucumber-tomato salsa, warm pita.

Greek pastitsio layers tender pasta with a cinnamon-and-allspice spiced beef sauce under a creamy feta-and-parmesan bechamel. The Mediterranean baked pasta that eats like a warmly spiced Greek lasagna.

A tasty and scrumptious lasagna made with ground beef and a variety of spices and cheese which gives it a rich taste.

TVP granules sautéed with garlic, peppers, and onions simmer in tangy tomato paste spiked with oregano and cayenne for a protein-packed vegetarian sloppy joe filling.

Loaded chili built on three meats, ground beef, hot Italian sausage, and smoked sausage, with kidney beans, a layered hit of serrano and habanero heat, and a splash of red wine. Thickened with cornmeal and tastes even better the next day.

Italian garden lasagna layers a rainbow of sauteed vegetables (peppers, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, spinach) with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan in a no-boil lasagna. Vegetarian comfort that uses up the garden haul.

Vegetarian party pate made from pinto beans, TVP, and shiitake mushrooms with mirin and mace, baked in a water bath and served cold on crackers.

Breaded eggplant slices rolled around a ricotta and mozzarella filling, then baked in homemade tomato sauce with Parmesan. A vegetarian Italian casserole with golden, crispy edges.

Vegetarian rice patties with sauteed vegetables, peanut butter for binding, tamari, and herbs baked until crispy golden on both sides. A versatile plant-based patty that works as a burger or side.

Herb-loaded crustless zucchini quiche with sautéed mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and a splash of dry sherry. A savory way to use up garden zucchini all summer long.

Savory Southwest cheesecake appetizer with a tortilla chip crust, layers of seasoned cream cheese, ground beef, refried beans, and a sour cream topping loaded with fresh garnishes.

Shredded chicken enchiladas with sour cream and cheddar rolled in corn tortillas, smothered in a homemade green chili-tomato sauce. A presidential-level Tex-Mex crowd pleaser.