Pasta recipes

Traditional chickpea hummus made from dried beans soaked overnight, cooked until tender, then blended with tahini, garlic, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Makes a large batch for freezing.

This hearty, slow-simmered ground beef chili is loaded with green chilies, jalapenos, and a bold hit of chili powder. A Dutch oven favorite that feeds a crowd with rich, spicy depth in every bowl.

Sautéed eggplant and tofu glazed in a savory miso-honey-sesame sauce served over fluffy bulgur wheat. A high-fiber vegetarian main dish ready in 35 minutes.

Vegetarian lentil pie in a whole wheat double crust with celery, Brazil nuts, soy sauce, and warming spices of cinnamon and cloves. A hearty meatless main with savory-sweet depth.

Steamed mussels topped with a Thai-spiced fish mousse of ginger, lemongrass, shrimp paste, and basil. An elegant bamboo-steamer appetizer for a Southeast Asian dinner.

Cashew chicken with bell peppers, a fast wok stir-fry of tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and sweet peppers in a savory soy and soybean-paste sauce. A quick, takeout-style weeknight dinner, gluten-free with tamari.

Slow cooker braciole with thin-pounded round steak rolled around Italian sausage filling and braised in tomato sauce for 8 to 10 hours until fork-tender.

Boiled lobster medallions and claw meat served in a rich curry sauce made from the lobster cooking liquid, Calvados, white wine, and curry powder, finished with a butter-flour thickener.

Vegetarian tofu meatloaf with sauteed mushrooms, green pepper, mozzarella, and Parmesan baked under a tangy tomato paste glaze. Comfort food that'll fool the meat-eaters at the table.

Thai jungle curry with catfish, homemade curry paste, Thai eggplant, and kaffir lime leaves. A fiery, coconut-free curry that's broth-based, bold, and ready in 20 minutes.

This savory tomato sauce made with carrots, green bell peppers and tomatoes will become one of your crockpot favorites.

Slow-simmered pinto beans with salt pork, red chili pepper, tomato paste, cumin, and chili powder. An old-school chuck wagon recipe that cooks all day and feeds eight hungry hands.

Slow-simmered beef stroganoff with red wine, mushrooms, and fresh dill, finished with sour cream and served over buttered noodles or rice. Hearty Sunday-supper take on a Russian classic.

Braising can turn a tough piece of meat into a tender, fall off the bone, comfort food. I can think of no better example than the classic dish osso buco, made from veal shanks.

Asian cucumber salad with rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili paste, and garlic. A cool, crunchy side dish that comes together in minutes with no cooking.

Pureed mushroom vegetable soup with a full pound of fresh mushrooms, carrots, celery, and beef stock, finished with sauteed mushroom slices and dry sherry.