Pasta recipes

Spice up your gumbo with this simple recipe that calls for tuna fish, shrimp and steamed rice.

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.

Cheesy beef stuffed eggplant hollows out parboiled eggplants, fills the shells with seasoned ground beef, Romano, and breadcrumbs, then bakes under tomato sauce. Italian-American main course.

German stuffed cabbage rolls (Gefullt Krautroladen) filled with brown rice, dill seed, marjoram, and paprika. Baked in a tomato-vermouth sauce and best made a day ahead for deeper flavor.

Kahlua chili: ground beef chili spiked with coffee liqueur, served Cincinnati-style over spaghetti with cheddar and onion. The coffee-and-cocoa background note that makes it work.

Ratatouille casserole with layers of pre-roasted eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, and sauteed peppers baked with fresh herbs. A light, Provencal-style vegetable bake.

Lamb stew with chestnuts and pomegranate layers tender braised lamb with saffron, cinnamon, ground walnuts, and tart pomegranate juice. A jewel-toned Persian-style stew, sweet, sour, and savory, spooned over saffron rice.

Homemade Filipino-style banana ketchup simmered with raisins, tomato paste, allspice, cayenne, and dark rum. Sweet, tangy, and warmly spiced. Makes 3.5 cups and keeps for a month.

Beer and beef stew from Granite Brewery with cubed beef, root vegetables, Dijon mustard, and a dark chocolate-brown roux. A pub-style stew thickened with a proper French roux.

Italian-style party meatballs with Parmesan and rolled oats simmered in a homemade tomato-oregano-basil sauce. Serve in a chafing dish for easy entertaining and cocktail parties.

Beef Bourguignon with cubed round steak braised in burgundy wine with crispy bacon, pearl onions, and mushrooms, plus a splash of sherry and tomato paste. The classic French bistro stew made at home.

Loaded herbed beef stew packed with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, corn, peas, green beans, and fresh tomatoes. Rosemary, oregano, basil, and marjoram build layers of savory warmth.

Ground turkey pressed into a pie plate forms the "crust" for this pizza-inspired casserole, filled with spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, and topped with bubbling mozzarella and Parmesan. Kid-approved and parent-friendly.

Keema mattar is an Indian ground lamb curry with green peas, cooked in ghee with cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, and whole cloves. Serve with naan or rice.

Santa Fe red pork chili with coarsely ground pork shoulder, beer, stewed tomatoes, and layers of cumin and chili powder. No beans, no shortcuts. A thick, meaty Tex-Mex red chili simmered low and slow.

Dad's shepherd's pie: ground beef with mushrooms, tomato and brown gravy, topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and baked until the crust turns golden brown. Sunday-supper comfort food.