Italian-style green bean salad tossed with thinly sliced onions, red wine vinegar, olive oil, basil, and Parmesan. A low-calorie make-ahead side dish that gets better the longer it chills.
Chicken Czardas with sliced chicken breast, mushrooms, and onions in a creamy yogurt-paprika sauce with sherry, served over noodles. A lighter take on Hungarian chicken.
Classic Italian minestrone soup with kidney beans, cabbage, zucchini, green beans, and elbow pasta in a tomato-rich beef broth. A garden-vegetable soup built for cold nights.
Greek baked rabbit (lagos kounelli fournou) marinated for days in red wine and herbs, then slow-braised in a tomato-wine sauce warmed with allspice. A rustic, fall-off-the-bone game dish from the Greek countryside.
Sopa de albondigas (Mexican meatball soup) simmers tender beef and pork meatballs with raw rice in a tomato-spiked beef broth. Fresh mint leaves brighten every spoonful of this traditional one-pot comfort soup.
Roasted vegetable pizza topped with caramelized onions, zucchini, tomatoes, and garlic on homemade whole grain dough. This vegetarian pizza is packed with Mediterranean flavor.
Herb dinner rolls use the bread machine for dough, infused with sauteed garlic, onion, oregano, basil, and tarragon. Tear-apart soft rolls baked golden for the dinner table.
Cheddar olive tamale pie layers ground beef, canned tamales, corn, and chopped olives in a chili-spiked casserole topped with sharp aged cheddar. A freezer-friendly weeknight casserole that bakes hands-off.
Indonesian peanut sauce with shrimp paste, dried chile, garlic, coconut milk, and crunchy peanut butter. This Saus Kacang builds deep savory flavor and is ready in 20 minutes.
Cordon bleu casserole with cubed turkey and ham in a creamy dill sauce, topped with cheddar breadcrumbs and walnuts. A cozy way to use leftover holiday meat.
Southern Hoppin' John soup with black-eyed peas, ham, rice, collard greens, and a kick of crushed red pepper. A hearty, soul food classic simmered low and slow for deep, smoky flavor.
Artichoke pasta sauce: canned artichoke hearts simmered with garlic, fresh tomatoes, onion, and basil into a chunky vegetable sauce. Vegetarian, light, ready in under 35 minutes.
Competition-style smoked pork ribs with a paprika-heavy dry rub and a from-scratch vinegar-molasses BBQ sauce aged 2-6 weeks. Low and slow over hickory for 5 hours.
Cream of beet soup with fresh beets sauteed in butter with marjoram, simmered in broth, pureed smooth, and finished with heavy cream and red wine vinegar. A vibrant magenta soup with velvety texture.
Pork chops and twice-baked yams share one pan, both perfumed with orange juice. A paprika-garlic rub on the chops, and yam shells stuffed with apple, onion and celery for a sweet-savory dinner.
Creamy green herb dip made with fresh spinach, parsley, watercress, sour cream, and garlic. Serve chilled with a rustic spread of raw and boiled vegetables for a vibrant, make-ahead appetizer.