Recipe Sifter

Caribbean-style baby back ribs marinated in a from-scratch sofrito with annatto oil, cilantro, Anaheim chile, guava jelly, and coffee liqueur. Baked low and slow until tender.

Chunky black bean dip with carrot, celery, garlic, and warm spices folded into sour cream. Half-mashed beans give body while whole beans add bite. No-cook party dip ready in 15 minutes.

Meatless farmer's chili with kidney beans, zucchini, corn, carrots, and bulgur wheat in a cumin-chili tomato broth. Hearty, crunchy, and better the next day.

Quick beef spaghetti sauce with ground beef, garlic, green pepper, basil and oregano. Weeknight meat sauce ready in under 30 minutes.

Texas-style no-bean chili with coarse ground beef and suet, loaded with chili powder, cumin, and cayenne. A purist's bowl of red with no tomatoes, no beans, just meat and spice.

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.

Homemade taco seasoning from pantry spices like cumin, chili powder, and paprika, with no fillers or preservatives. Control the salt and heat yourself and skip the packet for fresher, bolder flavor.

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.

Chicago Italian beef, a garlic-and-herb roasted sirloin sliced paper-thin and dipped in its own seasoned jus, then piled onto French rolls. The real-deal dipped sandwich, made for a crowd.

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.