Rice/4 recipes

Build-your-own chicken tacos with a slow-caramelized garlic and onion base, serrano chiles, dual paprikas, and toasted cumin. Simmered chicken filling served with radishes, pinto beans, sour cream, and cilantro for a generous taco-night spread.

Classic Italian spinach lasagna layered with fresh pasta, ricotta-spinach filling, tomato sauce, and bechamel. From-scratch vegetarian showstopper.

Italian Christmas cookies (Patina di Natale) studded with toasted pine nuts and brightened by lemon zest. A buttery, golden-glazed cookie-cutter classic from the holiday tables of southern Italy.

Chive vichyssoise is a chilled potato-leek soup made lighter with buttermilk instead of cream. Silky, tangy, and brightened with lemon juice and a dash of hot sauce.

Sardinian fregula with clams, prosciutto, saffron, and chili flakes cooked to a risotto-like consistency in white wine and tomato broth. A rustic Italian seafood pasta.

Hasa vegetable soup with carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, fresh ginger, cumin, and a full cup of cilantro. A warming, ginger-forward vegetarian soup simmered low for an hour until the vegetables are tender.

New England creamy clam chowder steams fresh littlenecks for their broth, then simmers with salt pork, potatoes, onions, and half-and-half. The classic from-scratch version, no canned shortcuts.

Pasta with grilled turkey or chicken sausages, fresh tomatoes, roasted peppers, and saffron vinegar. A light, Mediterranean-style pasta toss ready in 30 minutes.

Seafood Gumbo From the New Basic's Cookbook recipe

Authentic Lebanese tabbouleh loaded with fresh parsley, mint, cucumber, and bulgur wheat dressed in lemon juice and olive oil. A bright, herbaceous Middle Eastern salad with no cooking.

Hearty potato and leek chowder with carrots and onions simmered in chicken broth, finished with milk and fresh parsley. Thick, creamy, and warming.

Vegan split pea soup: green split peas simmered with celery, carrot, onion, potato, and herbs into a thick, hearty bowl finished with frozen sweet peas and a splash of tamari. No ham needed.

Chilled barley and buttermilk soup with turmeric, fresh dill, parsley, cilantro, and red onion. A tangy, herb-loaded cold soup that's refreshing on warm days.

Versatile vegetable tortellini filling with spinach, rosemary, and a creamy flour-milk binder. Use fresh or frozen veggies and freeze portioned filling for up to 3 months.

Roasted potato and surimi salad: red potatoes roasted hot with garlic, then tossed with imitation crab, hard-boiled eggs, and a dilled mayo-yogurt dressing. A lighter upgrade to classic potato salad.

My Italian husband uses this filling to make tortellini at home, and it's by far the most delicious filling. He does change the meat around, and we love them all! It's freezer friendly, so we usually make a bunch.