Ma Po Tofu, a classic dish from the Sichuan province of China, inspired this recipe. The original is made with soft tofu and ground pork or beef with plenty of heat from dried chile peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. Portobello mushrooms stand in for the meat in our vegetarian version and convenient jarred chile-garlic sauce gives it plenty of kick. Serve with brown rice.
Italian ragus tend to be long-simmered dishes, but a French ragout is a quicker affair, a thick, cheesy stew. Tossed over pasta, this one is a true fusion, a halfway point between ragu and ragout.
In this dish, tofu "cutlets" are dredged and sauteed as you would a chicken breast or fish fillet. Try the technique using any of your favorite pan sauces.
It is a sweet caramelly teriyaki glaze.The skillet gave it a golden brown crust along the outside. It thickened up and literally just glazed the chicken.
I made this on a whim one Sunday morning when friends called and said they planned to drop by in the afternoon. It makes a lot, and I was able to serve our friends and the neighbors a casual supper. The seasonings and green chilies give the meat a spicy kick and taste fantastic with cool sour cream and fresh salsa.
If you love your veggies, try this slow cooker soup recipe for dinner tonight. Top with pesto and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese to give it that Italian edge.
This Chicken Tamale casserole is a quick and easy swap for more traditional tamales - but just as delicious! "I came up with this Mexican dish to satisfy my cravings for the tamales I had at Mexican restaurants when I was growing up in Houston. Homemade tamale recipes are too time-consuming to prepare for weeknight meals, but I discovered a corn bread mix approximates the flavor." —Risë Minton, Smyrna, GA
