5,033 summer recipes

Tender chicken meatballs flavored with Parmesan and herbs, simmered in cacciatore sauce until they soak up all the Italian flavors. Serve over spaghetti for an easy weeknight dinner.

Tender, never-dense Italian meatballs from grandma's kitchen: ground beef, egg, and breadcrumbs mixed by hand, browned, then simmered low in tomato sauce. The trick is a little warm water for moisture.

Hearty vegetarian Texas-style chili with meaty textured vegetable protein, kidney beans, peppers and tomatoes. A high-protein, meatless pot simmered low and slow, and even better the next day.

Easy oven turkey meatballs baked then simmered in garden-style pasta sauce with carrots and mushrooms. A leaner take on spaghetti and meatballs that hides spinach right in the meatball.

Bob's hot chili: ground beef simmered low and slow with whole tomatoes, tomato paste, red beans, chili sauce, and a kick of cayenne. The classic two-hour chili with serious heat.

Pears poached in red wine simmer halved pears in a cinnamon-spiked syrup of dry red wine, sugar, and lemon juice. Classic French bistro dessert, served warm or chilled.

Smoky beef chili with toasted dried chiles, habanero heat, and kidney beans. Toast, blend, and simmer for deep chile flavor that'll ruin you for canned chili powder forever.

Classic beef chili with crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, and an 8-tablespoon hit of chili powder warmed up with cumin, coriander, and allspice. Simmered until thick and adjustable from mild to wildfire.

Grainy mustard mashed potatoes simmered right in cream infused with garlic, thyme, and bay, then mashed silky and spiked with whole-grain mustard. A rich, tangy upgrade on the classic side dish.

Sausage and lentil soup that's even better the next day. Browned sausage, vegetables, and herbs simmered into a hearty broth, with lentils added near the end so they stay tender, not mushy.

Balsamic cranberry chutney simmers fresh cranberries with port wine, orange, dried apricots, and cherries, then warms it with cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. A sophisticated, tangy-sweet upgrade on the canned stuff.

Pete and Shannon's chili simmers ground beef and hot breakfast sausage with kidney beans, beer, barbecue sauce, jalapenos, and chili powder for 4 hours into a smoky, meaty bowl. A football-watching weekend pot.

Sweet and sour porcupine meatballs: ground beef studded with rice that swells into spiky quills as it simmers in a tangy brown-sugar-and-vinegar tomato sauce. Retro comfort food.

Homemade chocolate sauce from just cocoa, sugar, water, and vanilla, simmered into a glossy, pourable syrup in minutes. Dairy-free and made with pantry staples for ice cream, pancakes, or milk.

Creamy squash, apple, and corn bisque: butternut, Granny Smith apples, and sweet corn simmered with leeks, finished with cream and nutmeg. A tart-sweet fall bowl topped with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Chasing chili builds a slow-simmered base with ground beef chuck, lean pork, soaked pinto beans, and whole cumin seeds. A two-meat, scratch-bean chili built for a crowd.