This North Italian recipe comes from Bologna, Italy. One unusual characteristic of this Bolognese sauce is that it has no garlic — but there is a hint of ground nutmeg. Serve over hot, cooked pasta.

This rotini pasta salad is a standard for potlucks. This recipe makes a nice big salad that tastes great!

This creamy butter steak pasta is perfect for a romantic at-home date night. Tender, juicy steak is paired with a rich, creamy pasta with a hint of lemon, a sumptuous but relatively quick-to-prepare dinner.

This cod piccata is lemony, bright, and fresh. The most challenging thing about this recipe is to avoid overcooking the cod, while making the tangy and delightful sauce. My trick is to brown only one side of the fish, and allow it to finish in the sauce.

This lobster casserole takes advantage of Trader Joe's convenient frozen langostino tails and ready-made lobster bisque. It is a delicious, creamy, cheesy rich penne pasta casserole, absolutely fantastic and pretty easy to put together.

This chicken salad sandwich recipe makes a creamy filling with canned or rotisserie chicken, apple, grapes, and pecans. You can store any leftovers in the fridge for a few days. Delicious on whole wheat bread, focaccia, or any bread!

This traditional meatloaf recipe made with sautéed vegetables, spices, and bread crumbs is moist and flavorful and topped with an old-fashioned glaze. Cook time will depend on the size and shape of your loaf, as well as the type of baking pan you use. Serve this hearty meal on cool fall or winter evenings with mashed potatoes and a simple mushroom gravy.

This recipe for the ultimate Lowcountry shrimp and grits is modeled after my mother-in-law’s recipe, for which she won first place in Charleston, SC. It features grits with fresh white sweet corn, topped with a rich tomato gravy and deep fried shrimp, then finished with crumbled bacon.