Pasta recipes

Chilled shrimp cocktail with brandy-spiked lemon cream sauce, studded with crisp apple and fresh herbs. Elegant Italian appetizer.

Empanadas are Brazil's national appetizer, tiny pies filled with chicken olives, and peas.

Sai Grog: Thai spicy pork sausage with red curry paste, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and coriander. Grilled until juicy and served with sticky rice.

Mission-style chicken breasts smothered in a smoky chipotle sour cream sauce with melted cheese. Made with a from-scratch chipotle paste using dried chiles, garlic, and slow-fried aromatics.

Vegetarian bean pate purees a 7-bean and barley mix with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and cumin into a thick Mediterranean-style spread. Serve chilled with whole wheat bread or crackers.

Grilled portobello mushrooms with mango chutney: meaty caps marinated in vinegar, miso, and soy, then crosshatch-grilled and plated on arugula with a fresh diced mango-jalapeño-pepper relish.

Homemade pizza sauce with tomato puree, tomato paste, oregano, basil and rosemary. No-cook style 10-minute sauce that beats jarred every time.

This flavourful marinade has the right balance of spices that makes your Turkey incredibly delicious.

Tom yum goong, the Thai hot and sour shrimp soup: a fragrant broth of kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass and galangal, made fiery with chili and sour with lime. Light, aromatic and ready fast.

Italian veal rolls (involtini) stuffed with prosciutto and Grana Padano, browned in butter, and braised in white wine with tomato paste. A classic Northern Italian secondo.

Chocolate praline mousse from Quatorze layered with hazelnut praline paste, creme de cacao, and a whisper of espresso. Classic French bistro dessert that chills overnight into pure silk.

Bacon Caesar salad with a creamy homemade dressing emulsified from scratch with garlic, anchovy, lemon and mustard, then tossed with crisp romaine, crumbled bacon, croutons and parmesan. Restaurant-style at home.

Pon pon chicken (bang bang chicken) shreds poached chicken over salted cucumber ribbons with a warm sesame-soy-ginger dressing. Classic Sichuan cold-plate appetizer or main.

Vegetable miso soup brightened with sweet green peas, scallion, jalapeño, garlic, and dulse seaweed. A fresh, 30-minute twist on the classic Japanese starter.

Thai red curry beef with coconut milk, fish sauce, baby corn, and green peas, garnished with sweet basil. A quick, aromatic curry served over jasmine rice.

Sybil Carter's homemade barbecue sauce starts with bacon drippings and builds layers of tangy tomato, brown sugar sweetness, mustard bite, and hot pepper heat. Doubles easily and keeps in the fridge for weeks.