Recipe Sifter

In Sicily bistecche like these are served as an antipasto, a contorno, or, when a charcoal fire is going, as one of many dishes in a mixed grill.

Squid spaghetti in a fresh tomato sauce with basil, oregano, marjoram, and thyme. Tender squid simmered gently in Roma tomatoes for a simple Italian seafood pasta.

Smoked turkey gumbo turns the Thanksgiving carcass into a rich Cajun-style gumbo with shrimp, crab, and oysters, built on a deep mahogany roux and served over long-grain rice.

Mike's Baked Stuffed Eggplant fills eggplant shells with a Parmesan, breadcrumb, and egg stuffing, then bakes over a rustic potato-tomato sauce for 90 minutes. A hearty Italian-style vegetarian main.

Hearty vegan sloppy joes made with textured vegetable protein in a spiced tomato sauce with oregano and cayenne. Plant-based comfort food on toasted rolls in just 30 minutes.

Vegetarian Mexican chili burgers made with seven-grain cereal, brown rice, tofu, green chilies, and cumin. Pan-fried golden brown with no meat needed. Makes 12 patties.

Champagne-braised chicken casserole layered with peas, baby carrots, new potatoes, and cream of mushroom soup. A showstopper one-dish dinner.

Pat's Shrimp Creole with a two-stage sauce: the first vegetables simmer into the tomato base for 45 minutes then get strained out, and fresh aromatics with brown sugar finish the dish. Serves 8 over rice.

Turkish lamb pita burgers blend ground lamb and turkey with bulgur, toasted coriander and cumin, allspice, and cinnamon. Tucked into warm whole-wheat pitas with herbed yogurt and tomato-onion salad. Eastern Mediterranean flavors for 6.

Slow-simmered marinara sauce with roasted garlic, anchovies, Italian plum tomatoes, and a strip of lemon peel for depth. Rich, savory, and worth the wait.

Vegan Italian spaghetti casserole with tofu ricotta, nutritional yeast cheesy sauce, and a homemade tomato-herb sauce baked until bubbly. A plant-based baked ziti.

Baked chickpeas slow-cook in an earthenware pot with sweet sauteed onions, fresh chile, garlic, and oregano in their own velvety cooking liquid. Greek-style vegan main or side that gets better the longer it bakes.

Albondigas soup with cumin-spiced beef meatballs simmered in a rich broth with cabbage, zucchini, tomatoes, green chiles, and fresh cilantro. A hearty Mexican meatball soup.

Ratatouille lasagna layers salted eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash with fresh tomatoes, herbs, and Parmesan. No pasta, no bechamel, just pure Provencal vegetables baked golden.

Louisiana-style red beans and rice with a bold spice mix and an unexpected addition of grape juice for sweetness. No meat, all flavor, cooked from dried beans.

Italian-style ground beef casserole layered with oregano mashed potatoes, sliced tomatoes, and melted mozzarella. A budget-friendly deep dish dinner using instant potatoes for a quick weeknight meal.