Szechuan mapo tofu with ground beef, green onions, and garlic in a spicy sesame-soy sauce. A quick 15-minute high-protein stir-fry that's low-carb and diabetic-friendly.
Cincinnati-style chili with ground beef, cinnamon, allspice, cumin, and tomato paste simmered 2 to 4 hours, served over vermicelli with cheddar and raw onion.
Cajun shrimp Creole simmered for hours in a homemade shrimp stock with fresh tomatoes, three peppers, thyme, basil, and the holy trinity. Even better made a day or two ahead.
Toasted cumin, chili powder, enchilada sauce, beans, and corn simmered into a bold Southwestern sauce served over pasta with melted cheddar on top.
Vegetarian saffron rice timbales stuffed with spicy black beans and topped with fresh avocado-tomato salsa. A stunning three-component plant-based main dish.
Hot and sour celery soup with tofu, sunchokes, and jicama in a ginger-spiked broth thickened with cornstarch. A low-fat, high-fiber twist on the Chinese classic.
Baked rigatoni loaded with shredded roast beef in a quick crushed tomato sauce, topped with bubbly provolone and mozzarella. A meaty pasta bake ready in 40 minutes.
Peg's many bean soup simmers a pound of mixed dried beans with pork, hot Italian sausage, peppers, carrots, and grated potato that thickens the broth naturally. A rib-sticking, two-hour pot of soup.
Spaghetti tossed with black-eyed peas, artichoke hearts, black olives, and Parmesan in a garlicky bean broth. A hearty, protein-packed meatless pasta dinner in 30 minutes.
Basmati rice cooked with fresh green beans, black mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric, and asafetida in one pot. This South Indian-inspired side dish is vegan, fragrant, and ready in 40 minutes.
Raw carrot and orange salad with currants, walnuts, lemon juice, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. A bright, no-cook side dish dressed in olive oil.
Chicken and bean burritos with spiced poached chicken shredded into smooth pureed pinto beans, rolled in flour tortillas with cheese and sour cream, then baked crisp. A lighter, hearty burrito with all the taco toppings.
Three-alarm chili for heat seekers: ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, and a full cup of red pepper flakes simmered two hours. Serve with cheddar, sour cream, and sweet onions.
Beef Brisket with Barbecue Sauce: a hands-off crockpot brisket cooked low for 10 hours in a Worcestershire-vinegar braise, finished with a separate ketchup-brown-sugar sauce.
Chicken and andouille sausage gumbo with a dark lard roux, okra, the holy trinity, and a seven-spice seasoning mix. Authentic Louisiana gumbo served over rice.
Cheesy meat log frosted with mashed potatoes and broiled with sharp cheddar on top. A vintage Lincoln's Birthday party centerpiece, somewhere between meatloaf and a yule log.