DO NOT attempt this recipe in a crockpot, since no evaporation takes place there.
Slow cooker pepper steak with beef strips browned and simmered in soy sauce, ginger, and onion, then finished with fresh tomatoes and green peppers. Served over rice or noodles.
Tex-Mex carrot soup pureed with cumin and ginger, topped with a cilantro-tomato sour cream salsa. A smooth, earthy soup with warm spice and a cool, creamy finish.
Linda Williams' many bean soup with mixed dried beans, a ham bone, tomatoes, carrots, and chili powder. A slow-simmered Southern bean soup built to feed a crowd.
Eastern European meat patties with slow-braised veal, mushrooms, and dill wrapped in a buttery sour cream dough and baked golden. A hand-held pastry stuffed with ground meat filling.
Lamb with onions, a fragrant North Indian curry where onions do double duty, crisp-fried to deep brown and simmered into a yogurt gravy with ginger, garlic, cardamom and garam masala. Slow-braised until the lamb is tender.
Whole wheat focaccia flavored with rosemary, honey, and olive oil, topped with garlic butter, sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan. A rustic Italian flatbread with a heartier grain backbone.
Spit-roasted pork ribs basted with a homemade chili barbecue sauce of pureed tomatoes, red wine, soy sauce, and chili powder. Rotisserie-style ribs with a rich, glossy glaze.
Fluted quiche cups use homemade crepes as the crust, filled with sausage, cheddar cheese, eggs, and mayonnaise. Individual quiches that freeze beautifully for make-ahead brunch.
Stove-top baked beans: navy beans simmered with tomato puree, apple, onion, mustard, and Worcestershire. The oven-free version of the classic baked bean recipe.
Cream consomme with grated apple, onion, curry powder, and paprika, pureed smooth and served in small cups with chopped apple garnish. Elegant and simple.
Light spaghetti sauce with tomato sauce, garlic, green bell pepper, red wine, basil, and oregano ready in 20 minutes. A quick, low-fat meatless marinara for weeknight pasta.
Hollow white onions stuffed with rice, Swiss cheese, cream, and fresh herbs, then baked until bubbly and golden. A cozy vegetarian side dish that steals the show.
Rich onion soup with six types of alliums: yellow onions, red onions, white onions, shallots, leeks, and scallions. Bacon-enriched, partially pureed, finished with cream.
Smoky roasted salsa with dry-charred tomatoes, onion, and garlic blended with chipotle peppers, lime juice, and cilantro. A fire-roasted Mexican salsa made entirely on the stovetop.
Grilled red and green bell peppers brushed with a Dijon mustard, garlic, and red wine vinegar marinade. A low-fat side dish ready in 20 minutes, served hot or cold.