Sauces/21 recipes

Northern Chinese-style beef stir-fry with bok choy, sherry, five-spice, and a honey-soy gravy. A 25-minute wok dinner with real Northern provincial flavors.

Swiss steak with flour-pounded round steak braised in tomatoes, onions, celery, and green pepper. A retro skillet supper simmered fork-tender in 90 minutes.

Slow cooker baked bean cassoulet with dried kidney beans, molasses, tomato sauce, and smoked sausage. Low and slow for 10 to 12 hours of deep, smoky flavor.

Layered vegetarian tortilla casserole with corn tortillas, spicy tomato jalapeño sauce, melted Monterey Jack, and a sour cream topping baked until bubbly. Feeds a crowd. Serves 12.

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.

Chinese hot pot lemon chicken with bone-in pieces seared then simmered in a clay pot with sliced lemon, oyster sauce, brown sugar, and ginger. A saucy, citrus-bright braise served over rice.

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.

Salmon manicotti stuffed with pink salmon, broccoli, and cottage cheese, baked in a creamy lemon-dill sauce with Parmesan. A lighter take on stuffed pasta.

Creamy turkey enchiladas stuffed with corn and broccoli in a sour cream filling, smothered in a cheesy cream of chicken sauce. A smart way to use leftover turkey. Makes 12.

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.

Fiesta enchiladas loaded with seasoned ground beef, spinach, and Parmesan, wrapped in corn tortillas and baked with enchilada sauce and Monterey Jack cheese. A crowd-sized recipe for 12.

A legendary British sticky toffee pudding: moist date sponge soaked in buttery brown sugar toffee sauce, grilled until caramelized, and served warm with whipped cream. Pure indulgence for 12.

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.

South African sasaties: pork or lamb cubes marinated 12 hours in a curried dried apricot sauce with vinegar and onion, then broiled and basted. Sweet, tangy, and warmly spiced.

Stuff thick-cut French bread with cinnamon cream cheese, soak in custard, then bake until golden and top with Grand Marnier strawberry sauce for an indulgent brunch showstopper.

Herb-crusted beef brisket rubbed with rosemary and thyme, braised with onion, carrots, and celery until fork-tender, then sliced thin and layered in barbecue sauce. Feeds 12 hungry folks.