Recipe Sifter

Skillet chicken paella with boneless chicken breast, long grain rice, saffron, oregano, stewed tomatoes, sweet red pepper, and frozen peas. A weeknight, no-paella-pan version of the Spanish classic. One pan, 40 minutes.

Mexican pork-garlic stew with hominy: slow-simmered pork shoulder and smoky chorizo built on 14 cloves of garlic, cumin, coriander, and fennel. A pozole-inspired bowl finished with lime, cilantro, and scallions.

Light shrimp Florentine spaghetti with wilted spinach, roasted red peppers, white wine, and lemon in a silky chicken broth sauce. Elegant enough for date night, healthy enough for every night.

Gumbo z'herbes, the New Orleans green gumbo: spinach, mustard, turnip, and collard greens simmered with smoked pork, ham, and oysters, spiced Creole-style and served over rice with file powder.

Tomato, barley, and chicken soup: bone-in chicken legs simmered with pearl barley, tomatoes, carrots, and herbs into a thick, hearty bowl. A weeknight one-pot supper.

Button mushrooms simmered in a spicy Creole sauce with red wine, garlic, jalapeno, tomatoes, and oregano. A bold, low-calorie side dish ready in 25 minutes.

Nuevo Laredo chicken-fried steak marinated in beer with garlic, breaded in masa harina and cumin-spiced flour, then deep-fried. A Tex-Mex twist on a Texas classic.

Mediterranean portobello burgers pile grilled mushroom caps, feta, Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, and greens onto crusty sourdough. A meatless vegetarian grill dinner ready in under 30 minutes.

Shredded yellow summer squash seasoned with oregano, garlic, and chicken bouillon, then microwaved to crisp-tender in minutes. The fastest veggie side dish in your rotation.

Greek eggplant rounds broiled with tahini, fresh tomato, and crumbled feta cheese. A low-carb, vegetarian appetizer with Mediterranean flavors that comes together in 20 minutes.

Mock ravioli casserole: layers of butterfly pasta, a meaty tomato sauce, and a herby spinach-egg-parmesan filling. All the flavor of ravioli without rolling a single sheet of dough.

Slow cooker Texas chili soup with ground turkey, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes, green chilies, and a bold cumin-chili spice blend. Dump-and-go comfort in a bowl.

Freezer-friendly eggplant and tuna casserole layered with breaded eggplant, zucchini, mozzarella, and a seasoned tomato-wine sauce. Make two, bake one now, freeze one for later.

Mexican beef salad with seared round steak strips, hominy, olives, and Monterey Jack over lettuce and tomato in a cumin-oregano vinaigrette. A Tex-Mex taco-salad alternative.

Grecian chicken and potatoes baked in a lemon-oregano-garlic marinade, with sliced red potatoes roasted over onions in buttery lemon broth. Classic taverna-style Sunday dinner.

Pasta e fagioli: Italian bean and pasta soup with white kidney beans, canned tomatoes, sun-dried tomato, basil, and oregano. A rustic vegetarian one-pot that thickens into a hearty meal.