President LBJ's famous Pedernales River chili recipe with venison, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and tomatoes. Authentic Texas-style no-bean chili.
Diced bass mixed with tomato, onion, thyme, and bay leaves, wrapped in mashan leaves and steamed. A traditional Guatemalan fish tamale (tashmul) that's rustic, aromatic, and ready in 40 minutes.
Fresh summer salad with ripe tomatoes, chickpeas, sweet Vidalia onion, and basil tossed in a tangy Dijon red wine vinegar dressing. No cooking, no oil, ready in 15 minutes flat.
Toasted cumin, chili powder, enchilada sauce, beans, and corn simmered into a bold Southwestern sauce served over pasta with melted cheddar on top.
Light summer vegetable soup with carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, green beans, and spinach in chicken broth. Garden-fresh flavor on the table in 30 minutes.
Old Mexico slow cooker chili with cubed stewing beef, three forms of tomato, chili powder, and a kick of hot sauce. No beans, just deep-simmered Texas-style heat.
Pedernales River chili made Texas-style with coarse ground beef, lard, ground chile, and no beans. A bold, no-frills LBJ-era recipe simmered low for an hour.
Rotel and rice corn soup with spicy diced tomatoes, sweet corn, red pepper, and tortilla strips in a vegetable broth. A 30-minute pantry-friendly vegetarian dinner.
My good friend Amy made this for me when I went to visit her in Connecticut. I was in love, and no other quiche could compare.
A loaded meat-lovers pizza piled with pepperoni, salami, Italian sausage, black olives, and two cheeses on a ready-made crust. Easy enough for the whole bunch.
Slow cooker minestrone hamburger soup loaded with ground beef, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes. Dump everything in the Crock-Pot and let it simmer all day.
Classic Provencal fish stew from Toulon with assorted fish, mussels, and crawfish in a silky egg yolk-thickened broth. Fennel, leeks, and garlic croutons round out this elegant one-pot.
Fresh tomatoes hollowed out and stuffed with mashed avocado, chili powder, alfalfa sprouts, and coriander. A light, no-cook Mexican appetizer or healthy snack.
Italian stuffed meatloaf layered with zucchini, mushrooms, black olives, and mozzarella, blanketed in spaghetti sauce. A showstopping party loaf that serves a crowd of twenty.
Shrimp puff pastry loaf wrapping a buttery shrimp, tomato and red pepper filling in golden flaky pastry. Elegant make-ahead seafood centerpiece for dinner parties and holidays.
Chinese-style beef liver stir-fry with fresh tomato wedges, marinated in soy, sherry, ginger, and cornstarch. A protein-rich, iron-loaded weeknight wok dish over rice.