Tomatoes/12 recipes

Vegetable lasagna primavera layers spinach lasagna noodles with bell peppers, eggplant, mushrooms, ricotta, and three melty cheeses in a slow-simmered tomato sauce. The garden-loaded vegetarian main that feeds 12.

Grilled beef kabobs marinated 12 hours in a tangy soy-lemon-Worcestershire sauce with mushrooms, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and onion. Bold flavor from a simple overnight marinade.

Green lentil soup with crushed tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, and grated onion simmered for 2 1/2 hours. A splash of red vinegar at the end lifts the whole pot. Hearty, vegetarian, and deeply flavored.

Grilled Cajun pork roast marinated overnight in garlic, onion, Tiger Sauce and Worcestershire. Finished with a sweet tomato glaze that caramelizes over the coals. Feeds a crowd of 12.

Hearty lentil soup loaded with smoked sausage, tomatoes, and oregano that simmers for 2 hours into a thick, soul-warming bowl. Feeds a crowd of 12 with minimal prep.

Loin of veal braised in butter with mushrooms, tomatoes, and marjoram, finished with a truffle sauce made by soaking chopped truffles in cognac for 1-2 hours. Serves 8.

Homemade pizza sauce simmers tomato paste, garlic, oregano, marjoram and basil into a thick, glossy sauce that holds its shape under cheese. Makes enough for four 12-inch pies.

Hearty ground beef simmers with chickpeas, kidney beans, carrots, and peppers in a cumin-spiked tomato base. This crowd-feeding chili serves 12 and tastes even better the next day.

Slow cooker Texican chili with bacon, cubed round steak, kidney beans, tomatoes, and vegetables. A hearty, Texas-meets-Mexican beef chili that simmers 10 to 12 hours until fork-tender.

Hearty beef and cabbage soup with kidney beans, tomatoes, and angel hair pasta. A budget-stretching one-pot meal that feeds a crowd of 12 with whatever's already in the pantry.

Oven-braised lamb stew with flageolet beans, elbow macaroni, fresh oregano, and Roma tomatoes. Browned lamb simmers in stock for 1 1/2 hours, then the pasta cooks right in the pot.

A big-batch beef chili with 5 lbs of ground beef, three kinds of beans, jalapeños, and three types of onions simmered in chunky tomatoes. Feeds 12 and freezes like a champ.

Hearty vegetable beef soup packed with potatoes, barley, winter squash, carrots, celery, peppers, and green beans in a tomato-thyme broth. A big-batch fridge-clearer that feeds 12 and improves overnight.

Herb-seasoned turkey burgers with tarragon and white wine, grilled and served with a homemade barbecue sauce of tomatoes, mushrooms, green pepper, garlic, and Tabasco. Makes 12 burgers for a crowd-ready cookout.

Tomato cups marinate fresh tomatoes, green pepper strips, and onion rings in oregano-basil vinaigrette. A simple Italian-style summer salad you toss together in 10 minutes.

Baked pork chops with cream of mushroom soup, soy sauce, mandarin oranges, and Chinese mixed vegetables. A sweet-savory retro casserole with mid-century chop suey roots.