Sauces/40 recipes

Steak Habanero: pounded flank steak seared and simmered in a fiery sauce of roasted poblanos, onion, garlic, habanero, and cilantro. Served with warm tortillas for dunking. Bold heat in about 20 minutes.

Helen's Beef Bar-B-Que: a tangy-sweet shredded beef sandwich filling with celery, onions, mushrooms, and a brown sugar-mustard sauce. Crockpot-adaptable, makes 10 generous servings.

A 10-minute blender salsa with tomato sauce, fresh jalapeños, scallions, and garlic. No cooking required. Bright, spicy, and ridiculously easy to throw together for taco night or last-minute snacking.

Tequila and lime marinated shrimp grilled on skewers, served with a fiery jalapeño-horseradish cocktail sauce. From grill to plate in under 10 minutes.

Orzo with fresh tomato sauce: rice-shaped pasta tossed with quickly cooked summer tomatoes, garlic, basil, and red pepper flakes. Ready in 20 minutes.

Tomato rarebit with mature cheddar, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne on toast with sliced tomato, grilled until golden and bubbling. A 10-minute British classic.

Low-carb zucchini pizza bites broiled with pizza sauce, black olives, green onions, and melted mozzarella. Ready in 20 minutes with no dough needed.

Shrimp and pasta primavera made in the microwave with frozen pasta in cheese sauce, shrimp, sour cream, and dill. Dinner in under 20 minutes.

Super nachos with a quick stovetop cheese sauce made from nacho cheese, milk, and chili powder poured over tortilla chips and topped with sliced jalapenos. Ready in under 20 minutes.

Seared buffalo tenderloin medallions finished with a Jack Daniels pan sauce of veal stock and cream. A restaurant-quality 20-minute dinner for two that feels like a special occasion.

Two-ingredient spicy Italian dressing made by mixing picante sauce with Italian dressing. Use it on salads, as a veggie marinade, or tossed with shrimp. Ready in 10 minutes, makes 3/4 cup.

Creamy pasta with pine nuts builds a quick roux-based cream sauce with white wine, fresh dill, and toasted pine nuts. A 20-minute alternative to Alfredo with brighter, herbier character.

Chilled Senegalese soup with chicken broth, sour cream, curry powder, hot sauce, and shredded cucumber. A creamy, no-cook cold soup ready in 20 minutes.

Thick, chunky blue cheese dressing made with cream cheese, sour cream, scallions, garlic, and a kick of hot sauce. Big crumbles of blue cheese in every bite. Steakhouse-quality, homemade in 10 minutes.

Hot baked cheddar bean dip with mashed pinto beans, green chilies, and hot sauce. Bubbly, cheesy, and scoopable straight from the oven. Just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep.

Fresh spinach draped in a classic homemade béchamel sauce, ready in just 20 minutes. This French-inspired vegetable side dish turns simple greens into something silky and elegant with only four ingredients.