12 were recipes

The everything bagel sandwich loaded with corned beef, liverwurst, Monterey Jack, and a tangy dill-pickle slaw. Open-faced deli-counter overload that tastes like a New York lunch.

Santa Fe red pork chili with coarsely ground pork shoulder, beer, stewed tomatoes, and layers of cumin and chili powder. No beans, no shortcuts. A thick, meaty Tex-Mex red chili simmered low and slow.

Black olive paste (pure di olive nere) blends pitted Italian or French olives with olive oil, lemon, pepper, and bread crumbs. Italian-style spread for crostini, sandwiches, and pasta. Vegan, keeps for weeks.

Baked apple halves stuffed with brandy-soaked dried cherries and drizzled with a maple caramel sauce. Served warm with vanilla frozen yogurt for an elegant fall dessert.

Cajun-style baked catfish coated in cracker meal and Parmesan with lemon-herb seasoning, baked in rich meunière sauce until flaky. A Southern fish fry without the fryer.

Penne with fresh tomato basil sauce simmers chunky ripe tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil in olive oil for a quick pasta sauce. Summer Italian classic finished with Parmesan and torn basil leaves.

Penne with eggplant, mushrooms, and red wine tomato sauce finished with melted mozzarella. A hearty Italian pasta ready in 45 minutes.

Beef and stout casserole braises chunks of beef and bacon in a Guinness-thickened roux with shallots, garlic, and herbs. A traditional Irish slow-cooked dish served over boiled potatoes.

Chocolate peppermint pinwheel torte with crushed candy cane filling and whipped cream frosting. Stunning Christmas dessert made from a cake roll cut into spirals.

Spicy Indonesian noodles with ground beef, bacon, tomatoes, and authentic seasonings like boemboe nasi goreng and sambal oelek. This one-hour dish tastes even better the next day.

Double Dark Chocolate Cake with White Chocolate Sauce recipe

Authentic Veneto-style pasta e fagioli with dried beans, prosciutto, rosemary-infused olive oil, and freshly grated Parmigiano. A rich Northern Italian classic that's worth every minute.