The cauliflower is finely chopped so it resembles couscous and better absorbs flavors. It’s then tossed is a light basil-lemon sauce with a hint of maple syrup.

Bread salads are a traditional Italian way to use day-old bread. Adding cooked chicken and greens makes this a balanced meal.

This lemon cake, drizzled with a sugar-lemon topping, is a bit of sunshine all year long. Simple and easy to make, it’s a perfect weeknight dessert.

Turkey sausage infused with Italian seasonings makes this chili flavorful. Onions and red bell pepper and a can of tomatoes and beans make it fast.

This navy-bean, potato, and mushroom stew is ready in less than an hour, but has all the flavor of a dish that took twice as long. Easily customizable.

Steamed Pacific cod is cooked with aromatics that coax as much flavor from this dish as possible. The soy, ginger, and scallion lend a light Asian touch.

Pao de queijo, Brazil’s favorite cheese rolls, are chewy, cheesy puffs made from manioc starch. They’re great on a buffet table, as a snack, or a starter.

This Brazilian fish stew, called moqueca in Portuguese, is rich with fish, peppers, onions, and garlic, all in a tomato-coconut broth. A great family dish.

This soup, which hails from Italy’s Amalfi Coast, takes its rich flavor from plenty of fish, San Marzano tomatoes, fennel, herbs, and a splash of spirits.

Coq au vin, aka chicken in wine, is a classic French dish. It’s so popular, every family has its own coq au vin recipe. This one by Julia Child is a winner.

The combination of peppers, both sweet and hot, lemon zest, cilantro, cinnamon, and cumin make these plump oysters something special.

These mini airy puffs are made with sharp Cheddar cheese and chives. For a little bit of spice and heat, dry mustard and cayenne pepper are mixed in.

This beef chili appeals to just about everyone–whether for the Super Bowl, game night, or just a plain Tuesday dinner. The chili can be dressed up or down.

Bagels–true, chewy, malty bagels–aren’t just a New York thing. They’re easy to make at home and better than bagels you can buy from the freezer section.

Spaghetti carbonara is hot pasta tossed with eggs, cheese, bacon and pepper forming a creamy carbonara sauce and coats the spaghetti. Great recipe.

When the vinegar is added to the pan of chicken, magic occurs. The vinegar deglazes the brown bits and permeating the chicken with a sweet/sour flavor.

This turkey meatloaf is made from ground turkey, chopped vegetables and is brushed with a tangy bbq sauce. Leftover turkey meatloaf makes great sandwiches.

This gratin is flavored with sharp Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses and smoky bits of bacon. Use other pasta besides elbow macaroni for a different look.

For Hunan hot and spicy shrimp, shrimp are tossed in a peppery mix then seared in a kicky sauce of chiles, ginger, garlic, shallots. Fire-extinguisher hot.

This Chinese pork dish uses pork belly (fresh bacon) that’s first braised and then steamed. The double cooking makes the pork belly amazingly tender and supple.

Pizzoccheri is a hearty flat buckwheat noodle found in the Lombardy region of Italy. The noodles are tossed in a butter sauce of cheese, onion, and sage.

Trennette, a long, narrow, flat pasta noodle similar to pappardelle, is tossed in a simple sauce of spicy, garlicky oil. On top is a scattering of parsley.

Pasta shells are tossed in a Gorgonzola and Parmesan cheese sauce that’s studded with chopped pistachios. The shells hold the cheese sauce wonderfully.

Lidia’s mother’s recipe calls for pieces of chicken breast and legs to be seared with bacon, peppers, potatoes, onions and seasoned with fresh rosemary.

Braised lamb shanks are cooked slowly in wine until the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender. The lamb shanks can be braised ahead for more flavor.