Recipe Sifter

Corn flake-crusted chicken thighs baked on one sheet pan with sage-roasted potatoes and a honey mustard BBQ dipping sauce. Mom's weeknight dinner that everyone fights over.

Parcha bozbash is a Caucasian lamb soup with chestnuts, quince, prunes, and chickpeas in a rich beef broth finished with clarified butter. A hearty, aromatic stew with sweet and savory depth from traditional regional ingredients.

Three-layer Italian cheese casserole with seasoned ground beef, mashed zucchini with green chiles, and a cottage cheese-egg custard topped with cheddar and Parmesan.

Hearty German sour cream soup with bacon, cabbage, barley, rice, and vegetables in a tangy bechamel-enriched broth with caraway and vinegar. A cold-weather classic.

Baked lamb shanks braised in tomato sauce with oregano, onion, and parsley. Slow-roasted until the meat falls off the bone in a simple, Greek-style tomato braise.

Cheesy chicken spaghetti casserole with poached chicken breasts, melted Velveeta, cream of mushroom, and tender pasta baked into a Southern church-supper crowd-pleaser. Feeds a small army.

Mediterranean chicken baked in a tomato-wine sauce with mushrooms, black olives, artichoke hearts, and Parmesan, served over pasta. A one-dish Italian-inspired chicken dinner with rich, layered flavors.

Keema matar is a North Indian ground beef and pea curry simmered with garam masala, turmeric, ginger, and tomatoes. A weeknight curry that builds deep flavor in under an hour.

Herb crusted beef filet with a red wine demi-glace and crispy sweet potato straws. Seared with thyme, oregano, and rosemary then oven roasted for a restaurant-quality dinner at home.

Cuban-style red bean soup built on a classic sofrito base, simmered low with potatoes and butternut squash for body. Hearty, plant-based, and finished with a slick of olive oil for that finca-kitchen depth.

[Note: Bobby Flay, chef of NYC's Mesa Grill, prepared this dessert for a Meals on Wheels benefit meal at the Frontera Grill in Chicago

Almond cinnamon-raisin biscotti with brandy and vanilla, twice-baked in the classic Italian style. Crisp, lightly spiced cookies for dipping in coffee, tea, or a glass of vin santo.

Old-time country stew of pinto beans and white hominy simmered low and slow with salt pork and a whisper of marjoram. Frontier comfort food that fills the kitchen with smoky depth.

Creamy chicken wild rice soup made from scratch with homemade broth, earthy mushrooms, and fresh thyme. A lighter take on the Midwestern classic with sour cream stirred in for velvety richness.

Slow cooker ham hocks and lima beans simmered with red bell pepper, tomatoes, bay, and clove. A smoky, soul-food classic that cooks itself while you're at work.

Margarita shrimp with fettuccine: tequila-lemon-marinated shrimp dipped in egg and flour, seared, and served over pasta with a lemon-ginger-wine butter sauce.