Recipes with spices

Shahi Gobi is a Punjabi cabbage dish where batter-fried slices are simmered in a spiced tomato-onion gravy with garam masala, cumin, and coriander. A rich vegetarian curry with deep, layered flavors.

Mexican meatball soup (albondigas) with pork-beef meatballs, raw rice inside, simmered with tomatoes, garlic, chili, yerba buena, and bread-cumin thickener, finished with carrots and peas.

Low-calorie snack mix with pretzels, peanuts, air-popped popcorn, graham crackers, and cinnamon-dusted raisins. No baking required. Grab a handful and try to stop at one.

Chinese red-cooked chicken drumsticks with chestnuts braise crispy fried chicken in dark soy sauce, sherry, five-spice, and rock sugar until glossy mahogany. A classic hong shao technique for festive Chinese dining.

cookies made from leftover pie crust with cinnamon sugar

Mashed pinto beans and brown rice rolled up in warm flour tortillas with fresh veggies and salsa. Vegan, low-fat, and ready in 20 minutes flat.

A layered coffee cake built on a yellow cake mix and sour cream batter, swirled with a crunchy brown sugar streusel packed with chocolate chips, walnuts, and cinnamon. Easy enough for a weekday morning, fancy enough for brunch guests.

Oatmeal sheet cake with peanut butter cups baked on top and chocolate frosting. A nostalgic 13x9 dessert that hides peanut butter pockets in every bite.

Jamaican jerk chicken rubbed with a fiery homemade paste of toasted allspice, scallions, garlic, and warm spice, then grilled low and slow over indirect heat. Serve with Pickapeppa sauce for the real deal.

Traditional Pennsylvania Dutch lebkuchen spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and wine, loaded with raisins and chopped nuts. A heritage holiday cookie baked in just 15 minutes.

Grilled eggplant is meaty and tender, grilling gives the lots of smoky flavor; it's served with feta cheese, toasted pine nuts and garlicky yogurt sauce over a bed of lettuce. Nutty, creamy and refreshing summer salad, a well balanced side along with your favorite grilled steak.

Buttermilk biscuits make these cinnamon rolls super easy and my kids love them.

Fiesta enchiladas loaded with seasoned ground beef, spinach, and Parmesan, wrapped in corn tortillas and baked with enchilada sauce and Monterey Jack cheese. A crowd-sized recipe for 12.

Homemade Cajun spice blend with paprika, filé powder, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, and fennel. Ornish-friendly with no added fat. Makes 2 cups in 10 minutes flat.

Vegan orange risotto made with brown rice, tofu strips, water chestnuts, and raisins in vegetable stock. Brightened with fresh orange juice, zest, and a dash of cinnamon.

Versatile yeast dough that makes both buttery crescent dinner rolls and glazed cinnamon raisin rolls. One big-batch recipe, two classic results, 48 rolls total.

Ground almonds and cinnamon fold into stiff meringue to create these chewy Italian amaretti cookies where lemon zest and vanilla cut through the sweetness with bright, aromatic notes.

Apple raisin crumb pie: a double-crust apple pie with plump raisins, cinnamon-sugar, and a buttery crumb layer hidden inside. Granny Smith apples keep the filling tart, the crumb adds extra crunch.

Big-batch beef and pork chili con carne with four kinds of beans, plantain (or banana), molasses, and a deep spice blend. An overnight-marinated chili built for slow simmering and serving a crowd.

Homemade curry powder toasted and ground from whole spices for vibrant, complex flavor that blows away store-bought blends and keeps for six months.

Roasted eggplant and vegetable pate with charred eggplant, yellow peppers, ginger, jalapeno, cumin, and lime. A smoky vegan spread for crostini, crackers, or sandwich filling. Keeps a week.

Colombo de giraumon: a Caribbean curried pumpkin stew with tomatoes, sultanas, cloves, and red chili. A fragrant vegetarian side dish from the French Antilles that pairs with rice and grilled meats.

A quick South Indian-style bell pepper curry with mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric, peanuts, and chickpea flour for a nutty golden crust. Ready in 15 minutes. Serve with dal and rice.

Vegan wild rice crepes stuffed with a savory trio of shiitake, oyster, and button mushrooms, finished with a silky nutty almond sauce. Elegant plant-based entertaining at its finest.

Hearty homemade beef and vegetable soup made with tender short ribs, carrots, parsnips, green beans, and leeks in a rich, defatted broth. Simmered low and slow with fresh dill and parsley for deep, comforting flavor.

Cheesy beefy chilanda casserole layers ground beef, pinto beans, and corn tortillas with picante sauce and melted cheese. A Tex-Mex weeknight bake topped with cool lettuce, tomato, and sour cream.

Poached pears with chocolate drizzle: Bosc pear wedges simmered in white wine and apple juice with warm spices, then crowned with melted dark chocolate. An elegant light dessert.

Authentic Goan pork vindaloo with ground red chiles, cumin, ginger, garlic, and vinegar-spiked marinade slow-cooked low for fork-tender pork and a deep, fiery curry.

Delicious and dramatic, this dish is a mosaic of colors. It's easy enough to make for a simple family dinner but impressive enough to serve to guests.

Slow-baked navy beans layered with salt pork, smoked ham, onions, garlic, mustard, and a splash of rum. A rich, old-school baked bean recipe with Caribbean flair.

Taffy-apple cheesecake pie with caramelized apples, melted caramels, cream cheese filling, and a pecan-chocolate chip crumble. A fall dessert that combines caramel apples and cheesecake in every bite.

Vegetarian mu shu tofu with shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, bean sprouts, five spice, and plum sauce, rolled in whole wheat chapatis. A plant-based spin on mu shu pork.

Frozen chicken nuggets served with a spicy cream cheese and salsa dipping sauce with cumin, garlic, and cayenne. A quick party snack or kid-friendly appetizer.

Texas white chili with dried white beans, chicken breast, green chilies, cumin, and Monterey Jack cheese. A hearty, no-tomato chili simmered from scratch.

Simple Indian dry curry with cabbage, carrots, and onions spiced with mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon. Vegetarian, budget-friendly, and ready in 45 minutes.

Halva gateau is a Middle Eastern layer cake with semolina-almond sponge, coffee syrup soak, and halva buttercream. Pistachio-topped elegance perfumed with cinnamon.

Santa Fe black bean cakes made from scratch with dried black beans, bacon, serrano chiles, ancho powder, and cumin. Pan-fried until crisp and served with sour cream and salsa.

Homemade gyros with seasoned ground lamb on skewers, spiced with allspice, coriander, and savory, bacon-basted on the broiler. Served in pita with yogurt and fresh tomatoes.

Classic French tarte Tatin with 5 pounds of Golden Delicious apples baked in caramel and topped with flaky puff pastry. A showstopping upside-down dessert worth the effort.

Manicotti shells stuffed with curry-spiced chicken and green onions, baked until tender, then topped with a cool yogurt-tomato-cumin sauce. A bold Italian-Indian fusion that's unlike anything you've tried.

Moroccan-style lamb with honey, saffron, almonds, raisins, and chickpeas braised in a clay pot. A fragrant one-pot main dish with warm spices, served over brown rice or bulgur.

Warm cornmeal pudding sweetened with molasses and brown sugar, spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This traditional New England dessert bakes up creamy with a characteristic whey center, perfect with cold cream.

This quick Mexican bean dip is packed with flavor. It can be a dip or a filling to make burrito. Within about 10 minutes, you will be able to enjoy a quick delicious meal.

Tasmanian Salmon drizzled with a dressing made with Alpine Pepper and soy sauce.

Chicken skewers marinated overnight in curry, five-spice, ginger, soy, and honey, grilled with pineapple and green pepper, then dunked in a creamy peanut-coconut dipping sauce. Southeast Asian street food at home.

Sea bass fillets soaked in cumin-spiced milk, topped with a cilantro and green chile sauce, then baked in foil packets. Mexican-style fish that stays flaky and moist every time.

Mariachi beefballs with crushed corn chips in a spiced tomato-chili sauce served over layered Mexican rice with sour cream, green chilies, and Monterey Jack cheese.

A Scandinavian-style chilled fruit soup with dried apricots, prunes, raisins, apples, and cherries simmered in sauterne wine with cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Thickened with tapioca.