30 country recipes

A rustic American cassoulet with navy beans, browned chicken legs, crispy bacon, and smoked sausage baked in a tomato and herb broth. Hearty French-inspired comfort food for 4 to 6.

Country pumpkin bread baked into two tender loaves studded with walnuts and raisins. Warm cinnamon and allspice, perfect for fall mornings, Thanksgiving brunch, or holiday gifting.

Hearty country whole wheat bread enriched with beer, wheat germ, honey, and molasses. Two dense, malty-sweet loaves with a tender crumb. Slice thick for sandwiches or toast with butter.

Hearty leek and potato soup with smoky country ham, red cabbage, and dry-toasted cumin, caraway, and fennel seeds for a rustic, deeply flavored bowl.

Country rigatoni tosses pasta with cannellini bean broth, chicken, Italian sausage, escarole, broccoli, and Parmesan. A rustic Tuscan-style pasta with soul-warming depth.

This relish is based on a prize-winning English recipe of more than a generation ago. It is less sweet than traditional chutneys; most of its sweetness comes not from sugar, but from apples, dates, and parsnips. I generally use Winesap apples but any well-flavored, crisp eating apple will do.

Country baked beans slow-cooked from dried beans with molasses, salt pork, dry mustard, and clove-studded onions. A from-scratch crockpot recipe with deep, smoky-sweet flavor.

Venison chuck simmered with red wine, mushrooms, potatoes, and kohlrabi until fork-tender. A rustic, hearty wild game stew served over rice that turns your deer harvest into a real country supper.

French country soup with beef shank, cabbage, turnips, rutabaga, green beans, and elbow macaroni in a tomato broth seasoned with cloves. A hearty pot-au-feu style meal that simmers for hours.

Rustic whole wheat quickbread with tangy buttermilk and a golden crust bakes in under an hour. No yeast, no kneading, just mix and bake.

A succulent and hearty pork stew made with potatoes, tomatoes, carrots and zucchini.

A spice cake mix upgraded with rolled oats, low-fat yogurt, and chopped apples, finished with a crunchy brown sugar and oat crumble topping. Bakes in one pan, ready in an hour.

Hearty breadmaker country seed bread loaded with flax, sesame, and poppy seeds in a honey-sweetened whole wheat dough. Dump it in, press start, and let the machine work its magic.

A creamy vegan cheesecake made with blended tofu on a crunchy granola crust, topped with a fresh strawberry sauce. Dairy-free, egg-free, and naturally sweetened. Serves 8.

A hearty meatless three-bean chili with kidney beans, chickpeas, and refried beans simmered in beer and chicken broth. Topped with sharp cheddar and croutons. Feeds 6 to 8.

Bacon-laced venison stew with potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and fresh peas, thickened with a flour roux and simmered until the wild game is spoon-tender. Serve with buttered corn muffins for a hunter's feast.