Meats/40 recipes

Crispy fried crab balls from Louisiana's Bayou Lacombe, made with just crab meat, eggs, and Italian bread crumbs. Golden, crunchy, and loaded with sweet crab flavor. Ready in 20 minutes flat.

Simple taco filling made with lean ground beef and homemade taco seasoning. Skip the store-bought packets and control the spices yourself. Makes enough saucy meat for 8 to 10 tacos.

Latigo chili is a serious Tex-Mex three-meat chili of brisket, venison, and pork simmered with ancho chiles, beer, tequila, and staged cumin additions. Built for a crowd of 20.

Crab and avocado salad: sweet crab meat tossed in a zesty picante-mayo dressing with green olives, piled into ripe avocado halves. A no-cook, 20-minute Tex-Mex lunch or appetizer that looks far fancier than it is.

A punchy Venezuelan marinade with curry, fresh tomatoes, cilantro, and spicy barbecue sauce. Mix it in 10 minutes flat and slather it on any cut of meat for bold, smoky-spiced flavor.

Low calorie green beans and bamboo shoots seasoned with ginger and butter, ready in under 10 minutes in the microwave. Gluten-free, low-carb side that pairs with stir-fries or roasted meats.

Beat sugar and butter until -light. Blend in egg and -flour. Mix well and spread onto -bottom of 10-inch -springform pan. Bake at 450-degrees for 10 -minutes.

Chicken pieces poached in a seasoned broth, then baked in a robust tomato sauce loaded with green chiles and garlic. A two-step method that keeps the meat juicy while building deep, layered Mexican flavors. Feeds 8 to 10.

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

Thai cashew chicken stir fry hits hot with red curry paste, chili paste, and fish sauce, then finishes with roasted cashews and scallions. A 20-minute wok dinner that beats takeout.

Quick chocolate frosting made by melting chocolate squares with butter, then stirring in sugar and milk. Beat when cool for silky, spreadable texture. Ready in under 10 minutes.

Sinfully rich hot chocolate made from real unsweetened chocolate with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla. Ready in 20 minutes, this cozy homemade cocoa beats any store-bought mix.

Fresh vegetable flour tortilla pizza topped with mushrooms, tomatoes, black olives, and bubbly mozzarella. A 20-minute crispy-thin vegetarian weeknight dinner that beats delivery on speed and freshness.

Fusilli pasta tossed with a no-cook creamy tuna sauce of cream cheese, Parmesan, half-and-half, and chives. A 20-minute pantry dinner that beats anything from a jar.

Cinnamon-spiced cranberry sauce made with whole cranberries, sugar and a cinnamon stick. Just four pantry ingredients and 20 minutes for a holiday side that beats anything in a can.

Old-school cooked fudge with semi-sweet chocolate, butter, evaporated milk, and chopped nuts. The 14-minute boil and 10-minute beat method produces dense, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth fudge.