Recipe Sifter

Slow cooker chicken cacciatore with two whole chickens braised in tomatoes, red wine, garlic, and Italian herbs. Set it, forget it, and feed a crowd of ten with zero effort.

Chicken Romano braised in chili sauce with oregano and sliced onions, finished with grated Parmesan cheese. A one-skillet Italian-American dinner with only 7 ingredients.

A rustic Italian-style soup packed with chickpeas, escarole, brown rice, and corn in a lemony tomato broth. Low-fat, high-fiber, and feeds a crowd.

A from-scratch red chile sauce made with dried chile pods, cumin seeds, garlic, and oregano pureed smooth. The essential building block for enchiladas, tamales, and smothered burritos.

Homemade chili powder blend with dried cayenne, pasilla, and red chiles plus cumin, oregano, and garlic. Customize the heat and flavor to blow away any store-bought blend.

Italian no-cook tomato cucumber summer salad with red onion, basil, parsley, and a touch of red pepper flakes. Italian-style topping for bruschetta or tossed cold with pasta.

Dried pinto beans simmered from scratch with carrots, celery, Roma tomatoes, fresh thyme, oregano, and cilantro. A nourishing bean soup served over rice or barley that's worth the overnight soak.

Easy Mexican salsa from a can of tomato sauce, crushed red chiles, cumin, and oregano with garlic and a hit of vinegar and lemon. Vegan, low-cal, ready in 5 minutes.

"SOUTH TO NORTH -- `Everything' Salsa Adds Zing to, Well, Everything." Jacqueline Higuera McMahan

Fast creamy spaghetti sauce with sauteed onions and garlic simmered in tomato sauce and red wine with green bell pepper, basil, and oregano. Ready in 30 minutes.

Vegetarian five-pepper chili with three dried beans, fresh tomatoes, and dry-roasted spices. A meatless chili built on jalapeno, Hungarian, Cuban, and cheese peppers for layered heat.

Focaccia Provencale: a Southern French-style focaccia topped with tomato, basil, garlic, black olives, oregano, and olive oil. Two round loaves for sharing or dipping.

All-American hot dish brings ground beef freezer mix, corn, tomato sauce, olives, and noodles together in one skillet, finished with melted cheddar. A pantry-friendly weeknight dinner that cooks itself in about 20 minutes.

A savory omelet filling of browned kielbasa, sweet peppers and onions seasoned with oregano and basil. Spoon it into a French omelet for a hearty, satisfying brunch.

Protein-rich spaghetti sauce thickened with chickpea flour instead of meat. Mushrooms, garlic, and Italian herbs in a hearty tomato base that's naturally vegan.

Fresh homemade garlic and oregano pasta with durum semolina, egg substitute, and minced garlic. Low-cholesterol Italian staple run through a pasta machine for silky strands.