148 no winner recipes

Beef and pinto bean chili made with cubed sirloin tips, dried pinto beans, beef stock, garlic and chili powder. Slow-simmered for deep flavor. A no-fuss cold-weather one-pot dinner.

This Pasta Salad with Cucumber, Tomato, and Feta was not something I had planned on blogging about. It merely came about because I had nothing to cook for dinner, save a package of gluten-free pasta I had picked up for emergencies and a variety of veggies from my CSA. Then my husband loved it so much that he had two helpings, and he insisted that I write about it. I’m trying to move my family towards a more grain-free existence, but sometimes I just don’t have it in me to think gourmet. Sometimes, we do the best that we can. All this is my way of saying that the amounts of ingredients here are really just approximations. I have no idea what exactly I put in here to make it taste so yummy. You’ll have to channel your inner Italian grandma, and just mix in ingredients until the food tastes good.

Vegetable chili loaded with three kinds of beans, carrots, and tomatoes. No meat, no oil, and ready in under an hour for a hearty meatless dinner.

Creamy microwave risotto with spinach, Parmesan, and fresh tomato chunks. No stovetop stirring needed. A hands-off weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes.

Fresh blackberries macerated in aged balsamic vinegar, layered with creamy Greek yogurt and honey, then topped with a crackly torched sugar crust. A no-bake crème brûlée that's elegant enough for a dinner party.

Low-fat bean and greens risotto with kidney beans, peppery arugula, and bitter radicchio in a creamy wine-broth-cooked rice base. A no-stir Italian-inspired dinner that skips the butter and oil.

Penne with artichoke hearts, ricotta, spinach, and white wine in a light lemon sauce. No cream, no oil, and packed with vegetables. A fresh 15-minute pasta dinner.

Pecan-crusted grouper bakes flaky white fish under a Dijon-and-pecan crust for a crunchy, buttery shell with no skillet of hot oil. A 35-minute Southern-style fish dinner.

A one-dish cod casserole with sliced red potatoes, broccoli spears, and white sauce, topped with seasoned breadcrumbs and baked until golden. Uses frozen fish straight from the freezer for a no-thaw weeknight dinner.

Red wine roast chicken seasoned with garlic, oregano, and a bright splash of red wine vinegar. Buttery, herby, and crisp on top, this oven-roasted chicken is a no-fuss dinner that delivers serious flavor.

Cinnamon apple Jello mold made with applesauce, ginger ale, chopped nuts, and raisins. A nostalgic no-bake gelatin salad for Thanksgiving and holiday dinners.

Crustless tuna and cheddar pie that makes its own base from Bisquick, eggs, and milk. Topped with tomato slices and melted cheese. A one-dish dinner with no rolling or crimping.

Add sophistication to your dinner in no time at all with this succulent chicken dish.

Microwave pizza casserole: ground beef, egg noodles, pizza sauce, and pepperoni cooked in minutes, then topped with melty mozzarella. All the flavor of pizza, no oven. A fast, kid-friendly weeknight dinner.

Chilled cream of cucumber soup with sour cream, fresh dill, and parsley. A cool, refreshing summer starter that's better made the day before. No fuss, no stove time after dinner.

Fish fillets nestled in spinach with sauteed onions, garlic, white wine, and tarragon, grilled in foil packets over medium coals. A low-calorie, no-mess grilled fish dinner for summer cookouts.