Pasta recipes

Vegetarian Spanish rice cooked with tomato paste, bell peppers, celery, garlic, and paprika in vegetable stock. A one-pot side dish loaded with flavor.

This quick, easy yet delicious sandwich made with chicken breasts, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, prociutto and fontina cheese is perfect for lunch. It's packed with goodness and yumminess.

H. Allen Smith's legendary no-bean chili: 4 pounds of coarse-ground sirloin simmered for 3 hours with dried hot chilis, Mexican oregano, and cumin. Pure Texas-style chili, the way the purists intended.

Ratatouille casserole with layers of pre-roasted eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, and sauteed peppers baked with fresh herbs. A light, Provencal-style vegetable bake.

Joyce's Indonesian fried rice (nasi goreng): the classic Southeast Asian fried rice with shrimp paste, tamarind, and ketjap manis, loaded with shrimp, chicken, and barbecued pork. Dinner for four in 45 minutes.

Quick Chinese-style chicken stir-fry with shredded breast, bamboo shoots, zucchini, and bell peppers tossed in chili bean sauce and dark soy for a fiery weeknight dinner.

Vegan tofu breakfast scramble with mushrooms, red pepper, and onions in a savory miso-turmeric sauce. A hearty, egg-free morning meal loaded with vegetables.

Filipino-style caldereta: vinegar-marinated lamb braised with dried chiles, cinnamon, peppercorns, potatoes, bell pepper, and green olives. A rich, spiced stew that fills the house with warmth.

Steamed fish rolls: salmon and sole wrapped in napa cabbage leaves, bamboo-steamed and served over a silky roasted red pepper sauce. An elegant, low-fat dinner party starter.

Shredded chicken breast stir-fried with bamboo shoots, zucchini, and bell peppers in a bold chili bean and dark soy sauce. A fiery Chinese-inspired main dish ready in 45 minutes.

Note: 15 bean mixtures are available packaged in supermarkets and health food stores. If you prefer, make your own by combining equal amounts of dried blackeyed peas, red kidney beans, white kidney beans (cannellini), green lentils, split peas, black beans, yellow split peas, navy beans, cranberry (Roman, shell, or shell out) beans, great Northern beans, pinto beans, small white limas, red lentils, cow peas (field peas), and pink beans. Avoid using beans such as garbanzos and large lima beans, as these take longer to cook than other varities.

Ranchera sauce made from scratch with a roux-thickened tomato base, cumin, garlic, and fresh vegetables. A versatile Mexican sauce for rice, enchiladas, and huevos rancheros.

Southern-style catfish stew with bacon, bell peppers, okra, diced tomatoes, and chunks of catfish in a smoky-savory fish stock broth. A Lowcountry one-pot dinner for chilly nights.

Chili bean tacos stuff hard shells with cumin-spiced sausage, kidney beans, tomato and bell pepper, topped with sour cream. A 30-minute Tex-Mex weeknight dinner.

Chinese-style tofu stir-fry in a savory miso, tahini, soy sauce, and honey bean sauce with mushrooms, red peppers, and ginger. A quick vegetarian wok dinner served over rice.

Asian style sichuan beef with garlic, shallots, snow peas and red bell peppers.