Stuffed mushroom caps filled with a Mediterranean eggplant and tomato mixture brightened with garlic, basil and parsley. A make-ahead vegetarian appetizer you can serve warm or at room temperature.
Lentil stew Creole with okra, green beans, tomatoes, and green pepper served over brown rice. A plant-based Southern-style stew with a Tabasco kick and no added fat.
Herb garden couscous salad with black beans, fresh dill, mint, parsley, tomatoes, olives, and a lemon-olive oil dressing. A bright, no-cook grain salad.
Maryland-style crab soup simmered with beef shin, tomatoes, mixed vegetables, and a pound and a half of crab meat. A slow-cooked Chesapeake Bay classic loaded with briny sweetness and deep beefy broth.
Curry stir fried chicken and apples, a quick 20-minute skillet dinner with cubed chicken breast, honey-curry glaze, crisp apples, and plump raisins served over rice.
Chinese egg foo young noodle bowls: crispy ham and vegetable omelets stacked over Chinese noodles in a ginger-garlic broth with sherry, soy, and rice vinegar. A one-bowl Chinese-American dinner.
Upgraded tuna noodle casserole with bell peppers, celery, pimentos, sherry, and slivered almonds. A retro comfort dish dressed up with classier ingredients than the standard version.
Rich winter vegetable stock made with squash, celeriac, leeks, lentils, and fresh herbs, stewed then simmered for deep seasonal flavor. A vegan soup base.
Sun Dance chili with coarse-ground beef, ground chile peppers, mushrooms, and kidney beans simmered for two hours. A hearty, from-scratch chili that uses real ground chiles instead of chili powder.
Wild rice with dried chestnuts, currants, aniseed, shallots, and orange zest. Includes both pressure cooker and stovetop methods. An elegant vegetarian side dish.
Master chicken stock simmered low for hours with a whole fowl, leeks, carrots and a classic bouquet of herbs. Skim it well, strain it clear, then chill and lift off the fat for a clean, golden base for any soup or sauce.
Warm lentil salad with stir-fried carrots, celery, scallions, and water chestnuts tossed in balsamic vinaigrette. High-fiber, diabetic-friendly, and served on crisp lettuce.
Southern cornbread dressing done right: make-ahead cornbread and homemade turkey giblet broth prepped the night before for Thanksgiving day assembly with rice, mushrooms, pecans, and fresh herbs.
Carter family coleslaw shreds fresh green cabbage, crisp apples, celery, and carrots, then dresses them with mayo and celery seed. The salt-water soak is the secret. Old-school Southern fish-fry slaw with a little Appalachian wisdom.
One-pot baked rice with broccoli, kidney beans, peppers, and tomatoes simmered in vegetable stock. Hearty vegetarian main dish topped with melted Monterey Jack.
Cold curried chicken and rice salad with a yogurt-curry dressing, pimiento-stuffed olives, celery, and toasted almonds. A light, protein-packed make-ahead lunch or dinner salad.
Sweet potato carrot soup: a vegan, gluten-free, low-fat broth simmered from sweet potatoes, carrots, and celery, brightened with lemon and paprika at the finish.
Rosamarina fruit salad folds orzo pasta into sweetened whipped cream with grapes, mandarin oranges, pineapple, and crunchy pecans. A creamy, chilled side with bright citrus notes from fresh lemon zest.
Festive holiday chicken coated in matzo meal and braised in a honey, pineapple-orange marinade with apples, onion, and celery. Finished with a bright honey-lemon-Dijon glaze and fresh pineapple. A natural for Passover.
Microwave chicken breasts over rice with dried beef, celery, onion, pine nuts, and parsley. A one-casserole dinner cooked entirely in the microwave in about 20 minutes.
Pisnyi borsch is a meatless Ukrainian beet soup with dried boletus mushrooms, beet kvas, root vegetables, and fresh dill. A clear, jewel-toned broth served over vushka dumplings for a traditional Lenten meal.
Spiced lentil and brown rice soup simmers green lentils, brown rice, tomatoes, and herbs in a sherry-spiked broth. Hearty vegan and gluten-free dinner soup.
Homemade chicken stock from backs, necks, and gizzards simmered with celery, carrots, onion, and parsley. The from-scratch base for soups, gravies, and braises. Freezes for months.
Italian pasta and bean soup (pasta e fagioli) simmers Great Northern beans with onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, and tomato paste, then finishes with al dente pasta. A rustic, hearty peasant-style bowl.
Classic veal stock: deeply roasted bones, mirepoix, and caramelized tomato paste simmered for 12 to 16 hours. The professional-kitchen base for sauces and braises.
Stir-fried scallops and apples combine sweet sea scallops with crisp apple chunks, celery, and bright lemon juice. A 5-ingredient seafood appetizer with surprising sweet-savory contrast.
Szechwan dry-fried beef: shredded steak fried until dark and chewy, then tossed with hot bean sauce, chiles, ginger, and toasted Sichuan peppercorns for that signature mala numbing-spicy heat.
Quick DIY lamb stock made with browned lamb bones, shallots, carrots, celery, tomato, and white wine in a veal-stock base. Builds rich roasted flavor in just 30 minutes of simmering.
Vegetable and herb curry tosses curried brown rice with sauteed onion, celery, and pepper plus sweet apple and raisins. A quick, mild vegan curried rice that comes together in about 30 minutes.
Potato and rice soup builds a savory Italian-style broth with diced potatoes, shredded carrots, tomato paste, and arborio rice, finished with grated Parmesan and black pepper.
Fettuccine and Vegetables in a Garlic-Mint Sauce recipe
Roasted turkey with fresh sage leaves tucked under the skin and rosemary, stuffed with aromatic vegetables. A low-fat, herb-forward holiday bird with minimal seasoning and maximum flavor.
Cranberry pineapple gelatin salad mold with fresh cranberries, celery, and cherry-lime gelatin. A retro holiday side dish set in a bundt pan.
Gefilte fish made from scratch with ground whitefish, pike, and carp, poached in a vegetable broth with carrots and onions. A traditional Jewish holiday recipe.
Trout fillets poached in court bouillon and served with a beurre blanc style herb butter sauce of chives, parsley, tarragon, and lemon.
Light vegetable stock: a simple homemade base of onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and bouquet garni simmered for an hour. The clean vegetarian foundation for soups, sauces, and risottos.
Rice and kidney bean salad with sauteed celery, red wine vinegar, and a touch of sugar. A simple, budget-friendly side dish served at room temperature or chilled.
Summer vegetable bowl with green beans, fresh corn on the cob, zucchini, baby onions, and bacon, all simmered together in a Dutch oven and finished with ripe tomato wedges. A peak-season harvest platter.
Poached chicken breasts cooked gently in an aromatic broth with carrot, onion, celery, and peppercorns, then left to cool in the pot for juicy, sliceable meat. The base for chicken salad, sandwiches, and casseroles.
Sangrita with tomato juice, orange juice, lime juice, minced onion, and hot sauce chilled and served over ice. The traditional Mexican chaser for tequila, or a tangy nonalcoholic refresher on its own.
Traditional muffuletta sandwich with salami, ham, provolone, and olive salad piled on a round crusty loaf. New Orleans street food legend that feeds four with simple, bold flavors.
Cream of cauliflower soup blends mashed cauliflower into a buttery half-and-half base with onion, celery, parsley, and a pinch of nutmeg. Silky comfort soup ready in 20 minutes.
Vegetarian potato corn chowder with carrots, celery, tomatoes, and herbs, thickened by mashing some of the potatoes back into the broth. Hearty, creamy, and dairy-free.
A vegetable-loaded Italian minestrone with eggplant, beans, spinach, cabbage, and pasta, finished with a swirl of homemade pesto alla Genovese. Rustic, hearty, and full of garden-fresh flavor.
Making your own chicken stock may take some time, but when you taste one tablespoonful afterwards, you will feel it's well worth the effort.
Vegan potatoes au gratin layers baked potato slices with sauteed onion, celery, and carrot in a cheesy plant-based gravy. Topped with paprika and nutritional yeast for that classic golden finish.
Tri-color rotini tossed in a creamy Dijon vinaigrette with crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, celery, and scallions. A make-ahead pasta salad for potlucks, picnics, and summer cookouts.
Creole shrimp stew with a peanut-brown roux, the holy trinity of celery, onion, and bell pepper, and tender shrimp simmered just until pink. Served over hot rice.