130 sugar paste recipes

Bold, smoky homemade BBQ sauce with a whole head of garlic, brown sugar, orange juice, and cayenne heat. Simmers for 2 hours in a cast-iron Dutch oven.

Italian rainbow cookies with almond paste, three colored layers, apricot jam filling, and chocolate coating. Overnight-pressed cookies that slice into beautiful tricolor squares.

Quick chicken skillet stew loaded with red potatoes, celery, bell pepper, and a rosemary tomato broth. A one-pan weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes.

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.

A New Orleans-style charlotte: chocolate sponge rolled with almond paste, sliced and pressed into a springform, filled with amaretto-soaked chocolate mousse. A Mardi Gras showstopper.

Plump shrimp in a from-scratch tomato-basil sauce with mushrooms, served over fettuccine with tender asparagus and Parmesan. A light, veggie-loaded Italian dinner ready in 35 minutes.

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.

Slow-simmered Italian pizza sauce built on canned plum tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, basil and tarragon. A balanced, herb-forward sauce that gets even better after an overnight chill in the fridge.

Pear and apricot tart layers fanned pears and apricot halves over almond paste filling in a buttery almond pastry, then glazes with apple jelly. A bakery-worthy fruit tart for special occasions.

Mad Mike's chili: a no-beans, all-meat Texas-style red made with cubed round steak, V8, enchilada sauce, and a mountain of chili powder. Slow simmered three hours until thick and deep.

Meatless farmer's chili with kidney beans, zucchini, corn, carrots, and bulgur wheat in a cumin-chili tomato broth. Hearty, crunchy, and better the next day.

Slow-simmered Creole lentil soup with bell peppers, celery, onion, tomato paste, and a touch of brown sugar. Hearty, plant-based, and full of bayou soul.

Authentic Ukrainian varenyky with tender egg yolk dough and two classic fillings: creamy potato-cheese and tangy sauerkraut-bacon. A from-scratch dumpling recipe worth every fold.

Big-batch Italian pasta sauce made with fresh canned tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, sage, and grated Romano and Parmesan cheese cooked right into the sauce. Perfect for simmering with homemade meatballs.

Eggplant, mushrooms, asparagus, and red bell pepper simmered in a spicy Thai chili paste and rice milk sauce with fresh basil. A hearty vegan stew for rice or grilled polenta.

Potato focaccia with paper-thin red potato slices, Parmesan, rosemary, and anchovy paste baked into a soft, pillowy dough made with mashed potatoes for extra tenderness.