Recipe Sifter

Spaghetti sauce from fresh tomatoes with fennel seeds, green pepper, Parmesan, and a triple tomato base of fresh, pureed, and paste. The longer it simmers, the better it gets.

Skinny chili: leaner microwave chili with ground beef, tomatoes, red pepper, and a classic cumin-oregano-chili-powder spice base. Fast weeknight chili ready in about 20 minutes, no stovetop required.

Pan-fried lake perch with a seasoned butter cracker crust, oregano, and tarragon. Crispy, golden, and on the table in 30 minutes for a classic Midwest fish fry at home.

Quick Italian tuna spaghetti in a savory tomato sauce with green peppers, onions, and oregano. A pantry-friendly pasta dinner on the table in just 25 minutes.

Sopa de elote is a Mexican corn soup blending pureed corn with whole kernels, sauteed onion, fresh tomatoes, garlic, and a finishing splash of cream. Gluten-free, late-summer comfort.

Chicken cheddar tortilla pizzas crisp corn tortillas in oil, then top them with seasoned chicken, tomato, onion, green pepper, pizza sauce, and melted cheese. A Tex-Mex pizza in 25 minutes.

Succulent chicken breast is served on top of salad greens, fresh herbs and gorgonzola cheese tossed with a simple lemon vinaigrette.

Tender sea scallops simmered in garlicky tomato sauce with bell peppers and oregano, spooned over delicate angel hair for an easy seafood pasta in 25 minutes.

A hearty Baja-style seafood stew loaded with clams, shrimp, fish, and crab simmered in a citrusy tomato broth with green chiles and white wine.

Juicy Italian-style beef patties smothered in spaghetti sauce with sauteed mushrooms, peppers, and melted provolone over a bed of spaghetti. Ready in under an hour!

Hearty black bean cassoulet soup loaded with three kinds of sausage, a meaty ham bone, cumin, oregano, and a splash of dry sherry. Feeds a crowd of 16 with a sour cream finish.

So easy to make, and it was delicious. I used fresh tomatoes that were growing in my backyard. The dish was refreshing and flavourful. Have added it to my recipe box. Now I have another way to cook my garden fresh tomatoes.

Green beans braised in white wine with summer squash, cherry tomatoes, oregano, and a shower of Parmesan. A light, healthy 30-minute side that puts peak-season produce front and center.

Hearty no-bean beef chili built on 3 pounds of stewing beef, half a cup of chili powder, masa harina for body, and a secret weapon: a dash of Peychaud's bitters and nutmeg at the finish.

Microwave Cajun spiced chicken drumsticks marinated in vegetable juice, hot sauce, and vinegar. Served over rice with a tangy vegetable sauce. Quick, low-fat, and ready in an hour.

Caldo Verde: Portuguese green soup with kale, chorizo, white beans, potatoes, turnips, and smoked ham in chicken broth. One pot, one hour, and even better the next day.