Recipe Sifter

Capital punishment chili is a fiery Texas-style bowl of red: chunks of beef chuck and pork simmered low with beer, a mountain of chili powder and cumin, a touch of mole and masa harina. No beans, all bold.

Make-ahead pizzaburgers stuffed with seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and chopped green olives on hamburger buns. Wrap, refrigerate, and reheat anytime.

Pasta stuffed pizza-style, jumbo pasta shells filled with shredded zucchini, torn pepperoni and Italian bread crumbs, baked under tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan. A pizza-night mashup in shell form.

Stuffed manicotti with spinach and ricotta filling, sliced mushrooms, tomato sauce, and melted mozzarella. Plus an alternate ground beef filling for a heartier take.

Vegan garlicky chili made with TVP (texturized vegetable protein) instead of ground beef. Five cloves of garlic, two ounces of chili powder, and masa for thickening deliver hearty, meaty character.

Chili made from charcoal-grilled burgers crumbled with fire-roasted peppers, jalapenos, and kidney beans. Smoky, spicy, and built for eating outdoors around the fire.

Cilantro, chiles and garlic add rich flavor to these red kidney beans, they taste so great.

Eggplant matzo mina layers broiled eggplant, softened matzo, homemade tomato sauce, and soy mozzarella into a Passover-friendly vegetarian casserole baked until bubbly.

Stageline chili is a no-bean, big-batch Texas-style chili with chopped brisket, ground pork, green chiles, beer, and a shot of tequila. Simmered low for 2 to 3 hours and feeds 20.

Breaded eggplant Parmesan baked in layers with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Moosewood-style with wheat germ option and vegan substitution notes.

Hearty Italian bean soup with dried navy beans, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, and whole wheat macaroni. A filling, budget-friendly one-pot meal that's naturally vegan.

Baked lamb shanks braised in tomato sauce with oregano, onion, and parsley. Slow-roasted until the meat falls off the bone in a simple, Greek-style tomato braise.

Mediterranean chicken baked in a tomato-wine sauce with mushrooms, black olives, artichoke hearts, and Parmesan, served over pasta. A one-dish Italian-inspired chicken dinner with rich, layered flavors.

Oil-free Cajun red beans and rice in the McDougall style, with the holy trinity of onion, pepper, and scallion simmered in a spiced tomato broth and spooned over brown rice. A fast, low-fat, plant-based dinner.

Easy spaghetti casserole layered with a from-scratch beef and mushroom tomato sauce, tangled spaghetti and sharp cheddar, then baked under a crunchy bread crumb crust. A bubbling, crowd-feeding weeknight bake.

Cajun-spiced shrimp simmered with the holy trinity, fresh tomatoes, apple juice, and fish stock over rice. This New Orleans-style skillet dinner brings bold bayou flavor to your table in 40 minutes flat.