Recipes with water

Skillet meatloaf made entirely on the stovetop with ground beef, onion soup mix, oats, sour cream, eggs, and Parmesan. No oven needed, done in under 30 minutes.

Fresh homemade egg pasta dough blends all-purpose and semolina flour with three eggs for a golden, slightly toothsome noodle. Roll through a pasta machine and cut into spaghetti, fettuccine, or whatever shape your day calls for.

Kiwifruit sorbet made without an ice cream machine using a freeze-beat-refreeze method. A bright green, tangy frozen dessert with lemon juice and corn syrup for smooth scooping.

Oven-roasted spareribs glazed with a sweet soy and brown sugar sauce. Ribs steam tender under a covered roaster, then get basted with a sticky, caramelized glaze.

Tortilla black bean soup simmers black beans with celery, onion, and red bell pepper, finished with cilantro and served over warmed corn tortillas in each bowl. A rustic Mexican classic.

Creamy mushroom potato chowder with a butter-flour roux base, fresh mushrooms, carrots, celery, half-and-half, and Parmesan. A thick, hearty vegetarian chowder from scratch.

Four-layer double-chocolate torte with unsweetened chocolate cake, chocolate filling, and whipped cream frosting in alternating layers. A tall, impressive celebration cake with intense chocolate flavor and a light cream finish.

Oatmeal chocolate chip cake with cocoa, walnuts, and a double hit of chocolate chips baked into a dense, fudgy 9x13 sheet cake. No frosting needed.

Cabernet Sauvignon sorbet made with fresh red grape juice and lemon, served over sliced kiwi. A sophisticated frozen dessert with real wine and fruit flavor.

Old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies with plumped golden raisins, cinnamon, and chopped nuts. Soft, chewy drop cookies using the raisin simmering liquid in the dough.

Diabetic-friendly chocolate peanut butter pie with a cooked custard filling using skim evaporated milk and minimal sugar. Thick, creamy, and lower in sugar.

Green chili with pork shoulder, diced green chilies, and canned tomatoes. A New Mexico-style chili verde browned in lard with no beans and loads of pepper flavor.

Crockpot beef stroganoff casserole with ground beef, mushrooms, and sour cream over elbow macaroni. A slow cooker comfort meal with a red wine gravy base.

Sesame fried trout coated in a crunchy sesame seed and bread crumb crust, pan-fried until golden and flaky. A simple 30-minute fish dinner with nutty, toasted flavor.

Roll-out molasses cookies with eggs and cream of tartar that chill overnight before baking into soft, pillowy rounds. The baking soda foams in the molasses for extra lift and tender texture.

Broiled peanut chicken kabobs with crunchy peanut butter, ginger, lemon, and red pepper glaze on skewered chicken breast and onions. Served over rice.