Recipes with spices

A hearty one-skillet curry with chickpeas, red potatoes, Granny Smith apple, and green peas in a cumin-spiced sauce. Low-cal, naturally vegan, and served over rice for a filling weeknight meal.

Slow cooker buffalo stew with carrots, celery, tomatoes, and a hint of ground cloves. Low-fat, high-protein bison simmers for 12 hours into a rich, fork-tender one-pot meal.

A great stand alone vegetarian meal or top it with a fillet of grilled chicken or a white fleshed fish fillet.

Beef tenderloin steaks rubbed with a smoky brown sugar, paprika, and allspice blend then grilled to medium-rare in just 6 minutes. This 20-minute date night dinner for two is pure steakhouse class at home.

Polpettone Italian stuffed meat steaks sandwich ham and melted mozzarella between two herbed beef-and-veal patties, breaded crisp, then baked under tomato sauce and more cheese. The Italian-American answer to chicken cordon bleu.

If you love that sweet and sour taste, you will adore this succulent stew made with garbanzo beans and sweet potatoes.

Scandinavian rutabaga and potato casserole (lanttulaatikko) with cream, dark corn syrup, and warm spices. A slow-baked Finnish holiday side for Christmas dinner.

Cinnamon rolls with walnuts and raisins, finished with an orange-vanilla-almond icing. Big-batch recipe yields 40 rolls for crowds, brunches, or freezer stashing.

Vegan lentil camp chili made entirely from dry, shelf-stable ingredients. Just add water and simmer for a hearty, spiced trail meal. Lightweight, packable, and no cooler needed.

Cajun meat loaf made with beef and pork, loaded with sautéed holy trinity vegetables, three kinds of pepper, Tabasco, and Worcestershire. A spicy Louisiana twist on a comfort food classic.

Hearty pork and beef chili simmered low with cocoa powder, cinnamon, cumin, and chili powder for deep, earthy heat. Pinto beans and cornmeal thicken the pot. Serve with sour cream, Parmesan, and chopped onions for a bold weeknight dinner.

Fig fruit cake with dried figs, candied cherries, pineapple, walnuts, brandy, and unsweetened chocolate. A spiced holiday loaf baked low and slow for dense, sliceable richness.

Elva's carne guisada with beef chuck braised in a cumin-spiced gravy with Rotel tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper. Tex-Mex comfort food ready in 40 minutes.

Carthusian dumplings (Kartaeuserkloesse) transform stale kaiser rolls into sweet, deep-fried dumplings soaked in lemony custard, breaded, and rolled in cinnamon sugar. A German classic.

A spiced sheet cake packed with grated carrots, mashed bananas, toasted coconut, and pecans. Warm cloves and mace set it apart from ordinary carrot cake. Cuts into 24 squares and freezes well.

Capon of the North: Irish-style braised capon flamed with whiskey, simmered in red wine with bacon and allspice, finished with a silky egg yolk cream sauce.

German apple cake with tender yeast dough topped with cinnamon apples and buttery streusel crumble for a not-too-sweet dessert that's perfect with coffee.

A seafood twist on classic French cassoulet: golden-seared trout, monkfish, and scallops layered with slow-simmered white beans and tomatoes, finished under a crispy breadcrumb gratin.

Finnish fish chowder layered with salmon, clams, shrimp, bacon, potatoes, and red cabbage in a milk broth. A hearty Nordic soup that freezes beautifully.

A rich beef and pork lasagna with a slow-braised ragu, a roasted butternut squash layer, and a quick creme fraiche white sauce instead of bechamel. A layered, deeply savory take on the classic.

Karydopita is a traditional Greek walnut cake made with crushed zwieback, cognac, and cinnamon, soaked in orange-clove syrup and cut into diamonds. Flourless and intensely nutty.

Baked white fish topped with a fresh coconut chutney made from cilantro, mint, jalapeño, cumin, and lime. A vibrant Indian-inspired weeknight dinner ready in 40 minutes.

Spiced refrigerator cookies with sour cream, sliced almonds, cloves, and nutmeg. Make-ahead dough keeps for 2 weeks refrigerated or freezes for months.

Really enjoyed the dish, it was packed with flavors. I did add some fresh cilantro in the end, and it was delicious. I also made a cucumber rita (yogurt sauce) to balance the heat a bit.

Apple pie with a coconut walnut crunch topping that bakes up golden and crispy. Cinnamon-spiced apples nestled in a flaky crust with a buttery streusel loaded with shredded coconut and chopped walnuts.

Indian-spiced lentils with wilted spinach, plum tomatoes, and a fragrant blend of curry, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Vegetarian, high in fiber, and on the table in 45 minutes. Serve over rice.

Homemade Thai red curry paste (nam prik kaeng daeng) with dry-roasted cumin and coriander, dried chilies, lemongrass, galangal, shallots, and shrimp paste. Pounded by hand for authentic depth.

Wholesome apple honey scones with wheat germ and warm spices topped with cinnamon sugar for tender breakfast treats ready in 30 minutes from pantry staples.

Chicken thighs wrapped around cheese-stuffed green chilis, baked on a bed of toasted salsa rice with cumin and cilantro. A complete Southwestern one-dish dinner that's worth every minute.

Butterscotch coffee cake using frozen dinner rolls layered with butterscotch pudding mix, cinnamon, butter, and pecans, risen overnight for a fuss-free brunch pull-apart.

German-style veal breast stuffed with seasoned ground beef, pork, lemon, and nutmeg, braised low and slow with paprika, cloves, rosemary, and bay leaves until fork-tender.

Mexican fish in adobo sauce made with rehydrated ancho chiles, tomatoes, orange juice, cumin, and cinnamon. Pan-seared fillets baked in a smoky, citrus-laced chile sauce.

Old-fashioned stone crock pickles made over 15 days with a salt brine, alum soak, spiced vinegar cure, and sugar layering. A heritage pickling method that produces crisp, sweet pickles that keep indefinitely.

Stuffed beef round steak rolled with cheddar, corn, olives, and green pepper, then braised in a sweet-tangy homemade BBQ sauce with cumin and chili. A showstopper dinner that feeds six.

Celebration rugelach stacks three tiers of cream cheese pastry filled with walnuts, golden raisins, cinnamon, and raspberry preserves into a stunning Hanukkah or holiday centerpiece.

Chinese-style oven-roasted spareribs glazed with hoisin, plum sauce, honey, and soy. Marinated for hours and hung vertically for crispy, lacquered edges you'd swear came from a Chinatown window.

Honey spice ball cookies rolled in oats with cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and a tablespoon of honey. Crackle-topped holiday cookies ready in 30 minutes.

Loaded Southwestern corn and cheese chowder with sweet potatoes, bacon, beer, green chiles, and melted Monterey Jack. Thick, creamy, and ready in 45 minutes.

Homemade Bombay-style mild curry powder with roasted coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, cinnamon, and chili, finished with garlic, turmeric, kokum skins, and curry leaves.

An ancient Roman bread recipe from Cato the Elder: grape juice, feta, lard, cumin, and anise baked on bay leaves. A fascinating taste of history you can bake at home.

This Swiss monastery tart has a cocoa-almond-cinnamon shortcrust filled with raspberry jam and topped with a golden lattice. A rustic European bake with roots in St. Gallen's monastic kitchens.

Pennsylvania Dutch fastnachts (fried doughnuts) made with yeast dough, evaporated milk, nutmeg, and lemon juice, then tossed in cinnamon sugar. A Shrove Tuesday tradition.

No-bake cheesecake with graham cracker walnut crust, applesauce-swirled filling, and warm spiced apple topping. Mix filling uses box convenience with fresh flavor from lemon and homemade sauce.

Southwestern tortilla soup with white beans, corn, avocado, fresh tomatoes, and crispy fried tortilla strips in a cumin-lime vegetable broth. Vegetarian and satisfying.

Shareable apple oatmeal cookie pizza topped with melted chocolate, pecans, and vanilla glaze for a fun party dessert that feeds a crowd on one pan.

Broiled sirloin steak sliced thin and topped with fresh apricot relish simmered with red onion, rice vinegar, and Chinese five spice.

Macaroon meets chocolate chip cookie in this co-winner in the drop cookie category, with a twist of cinnamon, nutmeg and mint; it's from Jessica Wall-Valadez of Milwaukee.