Beer batter recipes

Cajun shepherd's pie layers spiced beef-pork meatloaf, julienned sautéed vegetables, and creamy mashed potatoes, then broils until golden. Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana spin on the British classic, loaded with cayenne and bell pepper.

Salmagundi casserole with chili-spiced meatballs baked over a three-bean base of baked beans, kidney beans, and limas in a sweet molasses and brown sugar sauce.

Filetto sorpresso don is a butterflied filet mignon stuffed with prosciutto, mozzarella, and truffle, then breaded, pan-seared, and finished in white wine and lemon pan juices.

Cincinnati five-way chili over spaghetti, layered with kidney beans, raw onions, and a heavy snowfall of shredded cheddar. The Ohio classic with cinnamon, cocoa, and a touch of vinegar in the simmer.

Earthy wild mushroom lasagna layered with Marsala-sauteed fungi, creamy Fontina bechamel, and a golden mozzarella-Parmesan crust. Vegetarian comfort food at its most elegant.

Everyone loves my hearty ground beef and bean chili!

Pizza spaghetti pie with a baked ground beef shell filled with spaghetti, egg, and Parmesan, topped with pizza sauce, green pepper rings, and melted mozzarella. A retro mashup the whole family loves.

Brown rice casserole with tofu, mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, and cheese seasoned with cumin and nutritional yeast. A hearty vegetarian baked main dish loaded with vegetables.

Samosas are crisp Indian fried pastries filled with spiced potato and pea, or curried lamb and beef. Two filling options, one homemade dough, fried golden in 48-piece batches.

Marinated cold steak salad with seared sirloin cubes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and cherry tomatoes in a homemade herb-Dijon vinaigrette. Make it overnight for the boldest flavor.

Two-day sourdough potato rye bread with molasses, cornmeal, mace, and poppy seeds. A dense, earthy loaf with an overnight starter and old-world European baking technique.

Mexican spaghetti pie with a Parmesan-egg pasta crust topped with chili-spiced ground beef, kidney beans, cheese, olives, and crushed tortilla chips. A Tex-Mex casserole mashup.

Restaurant-style meatloaf with beef and sausage baked in a water bath for a silky, custard-like texture. Seasoned with cumin, nutmeg, three peppers, and sauteed vegetables throughout.

Chinese grilled short ribs butterflied into a single accordion strip and marinated in peanut butter, curry, sesame oil, soy, and rice wine. Smoky, tender, unusual.

Curried pumpkin soup with shrimp, coconut milk, jalapeno, and lime juice. A creamy, spiced bisque-style soup pureed smooth with shrimp stirred in at the end.

Beef patties simmered in a creamy basil-mushroom sauce, finished with shredded cheddar and green onions. Salisbury steak with a sharper, weeknight-friendly twist from pantry staples.