For years, we have worshiped our Chicken Tikka Masala recipe_, so much so that I haven’t tried many masala variations. Wow, am I glad I experimented with this variety, which includes garbanzo meats in lieu of meat and boasts a less creamy, more potent sauce.

The chicken in this recipe becomes fall-apart tender over the course of 40 minutes of cooking. Shredded, it combines with the mushrooms, rice and Asian flavors to make a mild, warming Spring meal.

Enough to feed a crowd, this slow-cooker recipe creates a Chipotle-quality burrito filling that’s great for salads, tacos or burritos. Seal one of those burritos tightly, and you have homemade frozen burritos for quick meals.

I’ve wanted to try this soup since I first, and then many times after, saw the Soup Nazi episode of Seinfeld. Man, that show hasn’t aged well, has it? And I’ve definitely aged myself in referencing it, haven’t I? The soup is excellent in a complexly layered, subtle way that might sneak up on you, rather than being a wow-bang stunner, but I loved it. Excellent for a chilly, rainy Spring day.

Is anything better than Grandma’s Mac and Cheese? No. But a girl’s got to experiment, and this was a fun one. Serve with lots of green veggies to even out all that cheese and, more importantly, spice. It packs a kick.

I loved how easy this recipe was, though not so much that it was slightly greasy. I believe my cut of pork was to blame. I add much more broccoli than the original recipe suggests, and amped up the hoisin sauce for more flavor.

Vegan! Gluten-free! No sugar added! And still downright damn tasty. Make sure your banana is super, super ripe for the best possible cookie.

Does Cooks Illustrated ever lead you wrong? No. They get all the wrong out of the way for you, and anything with their stamp of approval is gold, in my opinion. That’s certainly true of this carrot cake, which is my favorite cake and will be my new recipe for my favorite cake from this moment on. One note that helped me: If you want to make two layers, double the frosting recipe.

Holy shit. Make these burgers, and make them ASAP. I’ve made by hand several different types of veggie burgers over the years, and this one is unique. The panko crunch and soft, sweet filling remind me more of a fried chicken sandwich. Even though I baked the patties rather than frying — which I highly recommend. These burgers were immensely satisfying. If you don’t have time to roast a sweet potato, you can use (no additives) canned sweet potato, but don’t forget the important toppings of whole-grain mustard and avocado.

Delicious! The veggies really shined in this enchilada, though the cheese may mar the health of the recipe a little. The sauce is a great, smooth counterpoint to the chunky (also delicious) sauce of our Buffalo Enchiladas.

One of my best breakfast-for-dinner choices. The dipping sauce is a must, but the ingredients of the tortilla can vary based on what you happen to have in your fridge or pantry. This egg-flipping technique is one I’m glad I’ve discovered and hope to make more use of in the future.

I really liked this salad as an accompaniment to a light main dish. For a simple salad, it packs a lot of satisfaction and will please the tastes of most eaters, though for the “Ew veggies!” crowd, substitute romaine for the arugula.

A good, basic chili recipe that makes the house smell great. I’ll use it again and play with building different flavors on top. Add some smoke, some depth, more spice, etc. Optional: I added 2 sliced zucchinis to the mix along with the kidney beans, and the extra veggies were a nice touch.

Did you know that pita chips aren’t available in the grocery’s chip aisle, nor in crackers? I had to trek back over to the bakery for pita chips, and this recipe wasn’t really worth all that effort. It’s a lot of effort for a salad, in particular. The dish is fine. I like the crunch of the chips as well as the flavor interplay of the chicken and squash, but it needs work. I’ll have to experiment if/when I try this salad again.

I love eggplant Parmesan, but not so much the frying involved. This recipe seemed a great solution. Thin slices of eggplant are breaded and baked, then are wrapped around a cheese mixture and topped with marinara. It a good deal of work, but the dish satisfies that Italian craving in a (cheese aside) healthy way.

The drawback is that the process is messy and takes more time than I’d like for a weekday meal. Crisp and delicious straight from the oven, I may steal the method for cooking the eggplant to create a side dish or a component for another recipe.

Hearty and healthy, this recipe still didn’t thrill the husband. As for me, I thought it was an easy, great meal that is also vegetarian and cheap. Bonus: Red lentils cook SO fast!

I could eat this whole recipe by myself – don’t plan on leftovers. It’s not surprising or overly unique in any way, but instead is in all ways straight-forward, comforting and delicious. Great for cold winter nights.

As is, this hearty chicken pasta recipe is fine, but only fine. I will have to seriously tweak it if I ever choose to make the dish again. Even so, the method of tossing the pasta in the drippings of a roasting pan is one that I will keep in mind for the future.

Be sure to let your tofu dry and drain for at least 30 minutes for optimum texture — and a dish that even tofu-haters can’t help but love.

Cross-cultural handheld meals are very popular around our house, so this is not only well loved, it’s also super easy. Pack leftover filling separately for reheating, then add to pita pockets. Feel free to experiment with the choice of seasonings based on what’s in your cabinet.