8 boy recipes

Sesame oil, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, garlic and ginger make a succulent sauce that is perfect for marinating the tofu. Then cook tofu until crusted. Stir-fry with several fresh vegetables, and pour the delicious sauce to thicken up at the end. This Asian inspired stir-fry can be served with cooked rice, quinoa, or any your favorite grain.

Ground beef and bean casserole with chickpeas, pork and beans, tomato paste, and bell pepper. Cook it on the stovetop in 10 minutes or bake it in the oven.

Layered dessert bars with a buttery oat base, chopped apples, melted butterscotch drizzle, shredded coconut, and crunchy walnuts. Chewy, gooey, and dangerously snackable.

Christmas is never complete without a visit from the aromatic, sweet-tasting gingerbread kids.

Soft gingerbread cookies with molasses, hot coffee, cinnamon, cloves, and ground ginger. A rollout cookie dough for gingerbread men with a tender, cake-like texture instead of a crisp snap.

Oatmeal peanut butter drop cookies with plumped raisins, cinnamon, and vanilla. A hearty, old-fashioned cookie packed with oats and peanut butter flavor. Makes 3 dozen.

Kung Pao-style chicken stir fry with deep-fried peanuts, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sherry, and white vinegar. Egg-and-cornstarch coated chicken cubes get a velvety, glossy finish.

Creamy corn chowder with bacon, potatoes, carrots, and celery thickened with flour and cornstarch. A hearty, old-fashioned bowl topped with crispy bacon.